About
Q. What are PODS?A. Pre-Occupational Development Skills
Q. Are my PODS part of my curriculum?
A. Yes, while you do not receive a grade for your PODS, it is a required part of the program.
Q. Why are PODS necessary?
A. Part of this process of discovery about your field requires that you actively explore what it really means to be a Veterinary Technician. In order to ensure that you actively assess whether your program is an appropriate fit for you, we require that every Veterinary Technician student complete what are referred to as PODS hours. PODS stands for Pre-Occupational Development Skills, and means practically that you devote time to “trying on” the field for fit and comfort.
Q. What if I have no prior experience with animals?
A. The academic knowledge acquired during your studies lays the groundwork for application of your technical skills in the workplace. Stautzenberger has broken down the PODS requirements into specific times in your education, related to where you stand in your studies.
A. You start your PODS during your first quarter at Stautzenberger. PODS Hours are attached to your Vet Tech classes throughout your two years in the program.
Q. How do I go about scheduling my PODS hours?
A. After choosing a location from the approved lists located under " Nonprofit, Small Animal and Large Animal" tabs, it your responsibility to call and arrange hours with site. It is advised to start this process early in the quarter in order to allow sites to fit you in into their schedule. Be sure to print out the appropriate PODS form and bring to site for evaluations and verification. Forms can be found under "Forms" tab.
Q. What and When are my PODS requirements due:
A. There are two tracks of PODS hours(see below) If you are in the new track, PODS are attached to to the following courses VET 105,121,117,265,266 and 290 as a pass/ fail component.
Q. I am currently enrolled in VET 105,121,117,265,266 ,290 does the pass/fail component mean ?
A. The pass/ fail component means that the PODS assigned for that class are mandatory to pass that class. Regardless of your % academically for the course. ALL PODS must be completed before the final to successfully pass the class. While the PODS do not effect your GPA or course grade they are necessary to complete the course.
If you are in the OLD program, each student needs to complete:
Vet 107- 20 Nonprofit
Vet 123- 20 Small Ainmal
Vet 117- 20 Small Animal
Vet 265-20 Large Animal
Vet 266- 20 Large Animal
Internship- 15 Clinical PODS
If you are in the NEW program, each student needs to complete:
Must be completed in the following order
20 hours volunteering at a Non-Profit organization - End of Vet 105
**Assisting organized humane societies and shelters such as the Cleveland Animal Protective League, area rescue groups, spay/neuter clinics, or other non-profit facility
20 hours volunteering at a Small Animal facility - End of Vet 121 Employment or volunteer hours should be completed at veterinary hospitals
20 hours volunteering at a Large Animal facility - End of Vet 117
20 hours volunteering at a Small Animal facility - End of Vet 265
Employment or volunteer hours can be completed at veterinary hospitals
10 hours volunteering at a Large Animal facility - Vet 266
**10 seperate hours will be awarded for mandatory VET266 field trip
15 hours volunteering at a Humane facility located on"Clinical PODS" list - Vet 290
A. Any student that started and taken Vet 107 or Vet 123 is in the Old Program. If you have taken Vet 105 or Vet 121 you are in the NEW program. Still not sure? Be sure to see Ms Crable or Dean Alexander.
Q. Where can I complete my PODS hours?
A. Check for locations under the website tabs: NonProfit, Small Animal, or Large Animal. If a location you want to do your PODs is not listed, please contact the PODS Team at PODS-Brecksville@stautzenberger.com and we will be happy to add a site. *Please be sure to contact the team with any new sites before hours are completed, so that site can be approved.
Q. The site I would like to attend is not listed. How do I get my site approved?
A. In order to get a site approved be sure the site meets the following criteria
Nonprofit- must be at a 501C at small animal public facility and not a private rescue.
Small Animal- Must be in a clinic setting- No boarding/kennel or grooming facilities
Large Animal- all farms must public facilities( ex. Boarding/Riding Facilities) No family or student farms are permitted. Large Animal sites can also be non-profit.
Please send ALL of the following information to
PODS-Brecksville@stautzenberger.com
1. Site Name - Type of Site(small,large, nonprofit)
2. Site contact person
3. Site phone number
4. Site email address and website(if applicable)
*Please allow 3 weeks for processing- Be sure to check back with the PODS Team to ensure contact approval*
- PODS are a crucial part of your education here at Stautzenberger College- They are taken very seriously- Any dishonestly concerning PODS will not be tolerarate.
Honesty and integrity are essential to your success in your chosen profession. Moreover, every student must master a threshold level of knowledge before he or she will be permitted to graduate with a Stautzenberger College degree. That knowledge is based upon understanding the material taught in the classroom or in lab, and upon successful completion of assignments and projects. Grading is designed to assist an Instructor in determining whether a student is performing at the appropriate level. Students who cannot meet the threshold performance standard may require additional assistance; grades assist the College in identifying individuals in need of such assistance. To the extent that academic dishonesty prevents the accurate measurement of a student’s grasp of material, it deprives the student of access to resources that may help the student master material essential to his or her success.
In order to ensure that the College may effectively serve all of its students, faculty and employers, it has adopted the following Academic Honesty Policy:
1. Plagiarism
To plagiarize is to use the ideas and/or words of another without properly identifying and giving credit to the source. If a student uses another’s work as if it were his or her own, the student not only fails to learn the necessary information or skill set that he or she must master in order to be effective in his or her field, but also damages the morale of his or her peers. Plagiarism includes copying or paraphrasing ideas, phrases, statements, papers or other information.
The definition of plagiarism does not vary according to the source of the material. The original source may be a published item, such as a book, article, website, lyrics or movie; it may also be an unpublished item, such as another student’s work, or an Instructor’s notes.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated, and anyone who engages in plagiarism will be subject to immediate discipline as outlined below:
1. Disciplinary Process and Consequences
If a student violates the College’s Academic Honesty Policy, he or she will face the following consequences:
- The College will investigate allegations of academic dishonesty by interviewing relevant witnesses, such as the student, the Instructor and others who may have knowledge of the events in question.
- If the violation is the first instance or allegation of academic dishonesty, the student will receive a “0” on that assignment and will be placed on Probation. The student will remain on Probation as long as he or she remains a student at Stautzenberger College. For further information concerning Probation status for academic dishonesty and its impact on a student’s career with Stautzenberger College, please see your College catalog.
- If a student engages in any additional academic dishonesty, whether of the same or different nature, the student will be permanently dismissed from Stautzenberger College.
A. Please review rules and regulations section-Any other questions can be directed to the PODS Team at PODS-Brecksville@stautzenberger.com
