Hopkins County 4-H Report

 

by: Juli Hutchins
Hopkins County 4-H Agent

 

 

New Veterinary Science Course to be Offered

 

The Hopkins County 4-H and Youth Development program is sponsoring a course that will help youth begin a career in veterinary medicine. A meeting to introduce the program will be held at 6:00 p.m. on January 14, 2010 at the Hopkins County AgriLife Extension Office, 1200 W. Houston Street.  The meeting is open to all County youth grades 6 to 11.

During the session, an outline will be given of the curriculum, as well as goals and objectives of the program.   Students will then have an opportunity to enroll in the course and develop a plan for the first year. 

Students who sign up for the project “will be committed to a five-year plan of study that is career-oriented, meaning throughout the program they will work directly toward a career in veterinary medicine,” said Dr. Buddy Faries, Extension veterinarian and author of the curriculum.

Over the course of 100 lessons and 50 activities, students will focus on the major careers of veterinary medicine: veterinary assistant, veterinary technician, and veterinarian. 

The classes are geared to the grade level of the students.  High school students will have the opportunity to compress the time frame of the curriculum to two or three years.

At the end of the program they are job trained.  Students will be placed in a setting to work with veterinarians and are expected to complete a certain number of hours of on-the-job work, usually in the veterinary clinic.

Those students who are 16 and older may even earn paid positions at the clinic where they start out as volunteers.  At the end of the program, students who have completed the necessary hours and the curriculum will receive a certificate of completion and can then apply to become a Certified Veterinary Assistant.  When they graduate from high school they can pursue that career without further education if they wish.

Overall, the project provides the students career direction, job training and a sound education through course work and instruction.  The cost of the program is $40 which will purchase the Veterinary Assistant Handbook that is used for the entire five years.  To RSVP or for more information, contact Juli Hutchins, County Extension Agent for 4-H and Youth Development at (903)885-3443.

AgriLife Extension Programs (4-H) are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.  The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.