UT MARTIN VETERINARY HEALTH STUDENTS ACHIEVE 100 PERCENT PASS RATE FOR SUMMER EXAM
MARTIN, Tenn. – Students from the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Veterinary Health
Technology Program achieved a 100 percent pass rate during the 2016 summer session of the
Veterinary Technician National Examination. This is the first time a cohort from the program has
reached this goal.
Students who received their UT Martin degrees in the spring and summer 2016 semesters were
eligible to sit for the national examination, which is required to receive a professional license to
practice in the state of Tennessee. All students who took the exam during the summer testing
session passed as first-time test takers. Three testing sessions are offered each year.
“I feel like the vet tech program does a good job of emphasizing the importance of licensure, and
they devote a lot of time and effort to reviewing VTNE-related topics. (Our professors) provided
us with the resources we needed to help us pass the exam,” said Matthew Chesnut, a spring 2016
program graduate. Chesnut began working as a veterinary health technologist at Hooks Pet
Clinic in Martin shortly after completing his degree requirements.
“This was a great group of students to work with,” said Dr. Jason Roberts, professor of animal
science and program director. “They were dedicated in and out of the classroom. They made the
commitment to study and prepare for this important exam, which led to great results. Passing the
exam allows these graduates to become licensed veterinary technologists and begin their careers
in the veterinary field.”
According to Roberts, the national pass rate for the VTNE is around 70 percent, with the UT
Martin pass rate averaging around 90 percent. UT Martin’s Veterinary Health Technology
Program has continued to grow since its official accreditation in spring 2014.
“The time and dedication it takes (to study) while working a full-time job is daunting, but they
did it,” said Amanda Waldon, a licensed veterinary medical technologist and UT Martin
instructor. “These students participate in hands-on labs, classroom activities and community
service through the program, and they have an opportunity to pursue careers in one of the fastest-
growing and most sought-after fields in the U.S.”
For more information on UT Martin’s Veterinary Health Technology Program, which is housed
within the College of Agriculture, Geosciences, and Natural Resources, contact Roberts at 731-
881-1071 or jroberts@utm.edu.
###
Matthew Chesnut, a spring 2016 graduate of the University of
Tennessee at Martin Veterinary Health Technology Program, is pictured working with Dr.
Hailey Collins, DVM, at Hooks Pet Clinic in Martin.
