I’m going to vet tech school!

It’s January 3rd and I’ve already worked my way through two of my goals:  I got my first donation for Wee Paws from a very kind blog visitor, and I’m enrolled in vet tech school.  I’m taking the Penn Foster distance learning program, as it’s the only program which fits into my schedule, as well as the only one I can afford!  There are two programs available in Las Vegas, but one is completely on the other side of town (and expensive), and the other is a limited-acceptance program at the community college, which wouldn’t allow me entry until 2008 at the earliest.  The Penn Foster program is a mix of textbook studies, proctored exams, and two nine-week-long practicums, so I think it will give me a good overview of what I need to learn and master.  To work as a vet tech I’d need to pass a national exam after graduation, so I think if the program teaches me enough to pass the exam, and if the on-the-job-training gives me a good working sense of the basic skills I need, I should be able to find a job.  I know it will take a few years of real work to really become competent, but I’m content to finish the course, pass the exam, and then to restrain animals for years if need be.  I think I’d probably only want to work part-time, depending on my health, but I’ll just play that part by ear.  The fastest I could graduate is in 18 months, and that’s only if I can pay the tuition that quickly.

Maybe I could graduate from this program, and then some bigwig publishing company or TV producer would want to pay me to go to veterinary school while I wrote about it or they filmed it for a reality show.  I’d be the 40-ish gay vet student with fibromyalgia.  Showtime, HBO, Mark Burnett, anyone?!

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 01/03 at 12:08 AM

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  1. YAY! Congrats.
    That’s a pretty unique niche there. smile Actually, it could be an interesting reality show!

    Posted by Carina  on  01/03  at  03:36 AM

  2. Congratulations! I know you’ll make a great vet tech.

    Posted by Helly  on  01/03  at  05:29 AM

  3. There’s nothing like accomplishing things, hu?

    I laughed really hard at the last paragraph. I needed that. THank you.

    Posted by Nio  on  01/03  at  05:38 AM

  4. Way to go!  Hope it leads you to where you want to go!

    Posted by Ruth  on  01/04  at  04:47 AM

  5. I would love to be a vet tech and am seriously thinking of taking some kind of course so I can work in a vets office part time when I retire from nursing which will be in 4 years. I am very excited for you.  I understand the love you have for animals.

    Posted by Coll  on  01/04  at  11:14 AM

  6. You are fortish, Leigh Ann?  For some reason I thought I was younger than you, probably my innate immaturity.  I’m 50ish.  Congrats on the vet tech thing.

    Posted by Jody  on  01/04  at  09:04 PM

  7. Thanks for all the good wishes—I’ll try to do you proud wink

    Jody, I’m 40, and I turn 41 on the 5th (aka, tomorrow!)

    Posted by Leigh-Ann  on  01/04  at  10:02 PM

  8. Hey good for you!  That was something I looked into once upon a time as well.  Unfortunately we have always lived in such crazy places it was never a viable option.

    Best of luck!

    Posted by Kai  on  01/05  at  11:10 PM

  9. I’m not sure what the requirements are in Canada, but here there are a few AVMA-accredited correspondence courses.  It’s the only way I can do the program.  We recently got a vet tech program at the local community college, but it’s tough to get in, and takes forever to complete.  I’ve also heard at least two people complain that the graduates of the college aren’t well-trained, so correspondence can’t be that much worse!

    Thanks for saying hi, by the way smile

    Posted by Leigh-Ann  on  01/06  at  02:53 AM

  10. Yeah! I always thought you’d end up diving in and doing this! I’m excited to follow your adventure.

    Posted by Diana  on  01/07  at  11:09 AM
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