Veterinary Assistant Training
A Career as a Veterinary Assistant
Veterinary assistants are dedicated to aiding domestic animals of every shape and size. They are responsible for feeding and bathing animals, administering medication as prescribed by the veterinarian and help the veterinary team with animal nursing.
Veterinary assistants can find work in a wide range of environments, such as private veterinary clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. Some animal hospitals and shelters operate 24 hours a day, which may make rotating shifts available.
Veterinary Assistant Training Program Description
As a veterinary assistant training student, you will learn important skills that will prepare you for an entry-level position, from animal emergency medicine and lab procedures to nursing skills and more, with a special emphasis on small animal techniques. Pima's veterinary assistant training program will instruct you how to properly clean and disinfect cages and work areas, sterilize lab and surgical equipment, provide routine post-operative care, administer medication orally or topically and prepare samples for lab examination, under supervision.
Veterinary Assistant Program Outline:
| Course # | Course | Theory | Lab | Extern | Credits | ||||
| CAT 150 | Anatomy, Physiology, and Terminology* | 55 | 3.5 | ||||||
| CSK 100 | Study Skills* | 15 | 1.0 | ||||||
| CCB 100 | Computer Basics* | 15 | 0.5 | ||||||
| CMF 95 | Math Fundamentals* | 20 | 1.0 | ||||||
| CHS 100 | CPR & First Aid* | 10 | 5 | 0.5 | |||||
| Career Prep Sequence Total | 100 | 20 | 6.5 | ||||||
*Successful completion of CSK 100, CAT 150, CCB 100, CMF 95, and CHS 100 is required either online or on-ground prior to externship. | |||||||||
| Course # | Course | Theory | Lab | Extern | Credits | ||||
| VTA 125 | Comparative Veterinary Anatomy & Physiology | 45 | 3.0 | ||||||
| VTA 130 | Clinical Lab Procedures and Pathology | 15 | 60 | 3.0 | |||||
| Professional Sequence I Total | 60 | 60 | 6.0 | ||||||
| Course # | Course | Theory | Lab | Extern | Credits | ||||
| VTA 150 | Animal Life Stages, Nutrition, and Husbandry | 45 | 3.0 | ||||||
| VTA 160 | Animal Nursing and Diagnostic Imaging | 15 | 60 | 3.0 | |||||
| Professional Sequence II Total | 60 | 60 | 6.0 | ||||||
| Course # | Course | Theory | Lab | Extern | Credits | ||||
| VTA 110 | Office Procedures | 15 | 1.0 | ||||||
| VTA 165 | Pharmacology and Principles of Anesthesia | 45 | 3.0 | ||||||
| VTA 170 | Aseptic Technique and Surgical Assisting | 15 | 45 | 2.5 | |||||
| Professional Sequence III Total | 75 | 45 | 6.5 | ||||||
| Course # | Course | Theory | Lab | Extern | Credits | ||||
| VTA 275 | Externship | 240 | 5.0 | ||||||
| Externship Total | 240 | 5.0 | |||||||
| PROGRAM TOTALS | 295 | 185 | 240 | 30.0 | |||||
Job Outlook for Veterinary Assistants
PMI’s Veterinary Assistant training classes will prepare you for success in this rewarding field.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Veterinary Assistants is expected to grow 21 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations, through 2018. Pet owners are becoming more affluent and more willing to pay for advanced care because many of them consider their pet to be part of the family, spurring employment growth for veterinary professionals.
Veterinary Assistant Training Program Length
Approximately 9 months
For more detailed information on Pima's Veterinary Assistant Training program specifics, financial aid and lifetime job placement assistance for graduates, please visit your local campus below.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Chula Vista, California
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
East Valley, Arizona
Las Vegas, Nevada
Mesa, Arizona
Renton, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Tucson, Arizona
Contact Pima Medical Institute today and request more information about veterinary assistant training programs, and other career training programs including dental assistant, pharmacy technician or medical assistant.
