46th annual Vet Technology CE starts Friday

Oct. 23, 2019

By NCTA News

CURTIS, Neb. – Animal health professionals are gathering in Curtis this week for the 46^th consecutive continuing education event at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

Veterinarians, licensed veterinary technicians, and students enrolled in NCTA veterinary technology programs are registered for CE hours, said Ricky Sue Barnes, DVM and NCTA professor of Veterinary Technology.

The Friday and Saturday program is hosted by NCTA in conjunction with the Veterinary Technician Continuing Education Association. Conference proceeds help support college scholarships for veterinary technology students.

“Veterinarians are required to receive 16 credit hours of continuing education each year in order to renew their license,” Dr. Barnes explains. “Veterinary technicians are required to receive eight credit hours per year.

“This program provides those 16 credit hours, along with an opportunity for NCTA graduates to return to the college and see what’s new in our programs, plus meet with their college classmates from the past four decades,” added Dr. Barnes, the coordinator for the 2019 program.

Presentations will include topics and care skills for large and small animals, and feature large animal practice, small animal practice, practice management, and equine massage.

Friday and Saturday’s presenters are:

• Dr. Martha Elmore, Veterinary Medical Officer with USDA APHIS Veterinary Services, Nebraska.
• Ann Wortinger, a nationally known speaker, author, instructor, licensed veterinary technician, and veterinary technician specialist, resides in Michigan.
• Jason Peck is business manager and hospital director with the Nebraska Animal Medical Center, Lincoln.
• Hanna Christenson, a 2017 graduate of NCTA, is a licensed veterinary technician and certified equine sports massage therapist based at Grand Island.

NCTA’s academic program was one of the first two veterinary technology college programs to be certified by the American Veterinary Medical Association more than 45 years ago. For more information, see https://ncta.unl.edu/veterinary-technician.

Editor's Note:  First-year Vet Tech student and NCTA News writer Nicole Wright contributed to this report.