Program Description
Veterinary Assistants assist in kennel care, assist veterinary technicians during exams of animals, and provide support throughout the veterinary office. They are often employed at animal shelters, animal emergency centers, and veterinary practices.
The Veterinary Assistant training program features courses that will prepare individuals interested in working with animals in an entry-level position in animal shelters, animal emergency centers, and veterinary practices.
Veterinary assistants should have some basic personal qualities and skills to ensure a successful career. They need to be compassionate toward both animals and their owners in order to provide effective care and education. Dispensing medication and following specific instructions requires strict attention to detail, and strong listening and communication skills are a benefit to working with coworkers. In addition, veterinary assistants should have a strong customer service orientation, especially when greeting clients and making phone calls.
Career Outlook: Veterinary offices are always looking for entry level staff. Students are oftentimes hired at the site where they completed their clinical hours. The Occupational Information Network, O*NET, is an online database of occupations, job descriptions, and wages for career paths sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Labor. This information is free to the public at www.onetonline.org; enter 31-9096.00 for Veterinary Assistant Information.
Program Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this Continuing Education Workforce Certificate, students will be able to:
1. demonstrate effective skills to work in veterinary practices and effectively assist Veterinary Technicians,
2. employ proper professional communication and employable skills in the workplace, and
3. perform to a professional standard the operation of the veterinary practice.
CCBC Pathway
Health Professions Pathway. Pathways are designed to help you meet your academic and career goals by aligning related courses and programs. Pathway students participate in a variety of activities that help explore career opportunities in their field of study. You can meet with a CCBC advisor who help align — or realign — your educational plan with the Pathway that best supports you and your goals.
Program Credential
CCBC Credential: Students will be awarded a Continuing Education Workforce Certificate, and will have access to a Continuing Education academic record (transcript).
Students will be prepared to work in an entry level position in animal care.
Financial Aid and Payment Options
We offer financial aid by packaging public and private funding options to those who qualify, in select Continuing Education courses and programs. Additional opportunities for financial support include partial payment options through Nelnet Business Solutions and tuition waivers for those who qualify. Resources outside of CCBC may also be available through employer/sponsor paid tuition, the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS), and your local office of workforce development.
Some CE Workforce Development Certificate Programs are eligible for early high school funding through Maryland Blueprint for qualifying BCPS high school students. Please check with your School Counseling Office to determine your eligibility for the BCPS Tuition Benefit Program.
Length of Training
16-20 weeks
Veterinary Assistant is offered at the Essex Campus and also requires an online component. The program is offered three times per year in February, June, and October.
Program Requirements
Must be 18 years or older by the time you reach VET IV Externship, be computer literate, and have Internet access. Clinical eligibility is in part dependent upon a criminal background check and random urine drug testing. Cost of the test is the responsibility of the student. More information will provided in Veterinary Assistant II.
A High School Diploma or GED is NOT required for program entry but may be required for employment.
Students must have the following paperwork submitted to Castle Branch by the start of Veterinary Assistant IV:
- Tetanus shot (less than ten years)
- Copy of health insurance card
- Completed background check and drug screen
Prior Learning Assessment
This program has no options for obtaining course waiver(s) for prior learning.
Application Process
To apply, go to www.ccbcmd.edu/apply and complete the CCBC Continuing Education Workforce Certificate program application. An email will then be sent with program information and any additional requirements necessary to apply for the program.
Open Entry – No screening or documentation required.
Program Course Sequence
|
Course Number
|
Course Title
|
Course Hours
|
Textbook Information
(approximate cost; subject to change)
|
Costs
T=Tuition/F=Fees
|
|
AHE 752
|
Veterinary Assistant Training I
|
30
|
Handouts online |
$440
T-$132/F-$308
|
|
AHE 753
|
Veterinary Assistant Training II
|
30
|
Handouts online |
$330
T-$99/F-$231
|
|
AHE 754
|
Veterinary Assistant Training III
|
30
|
Handouts online |
$330
T-$99/F-$231
|
|
AHE 755
|
Veterinary Assistant Training IV
|
45
|
None |
$220
T-$66/F-$154
|
|
Course Series Totals:
|
|
135
|
|
$1,320
T-$396/F-$924
|
Additional Information
Additional Expenses:
Students are responsible for the cost of medical expenses, background checks, uniforms and other miscellaneous expenses totaling approximately $300.
Skills for Success:
See Technical Standards at the end of this document.
Credit for Prior Learning
Students who complete the Veterinary Assistant Program (AHE752, AHE753, AHE754, AHE755) will be eligible to sit for the Departmental Exam for VETT 106. Students must score 70% or higher to receive 2 credits for VETT 106. Veterinary Assistant students will receive additional points on their application when applying for the Veterinary Technician Program at CCBC.
Career Coach
Research your career interests, explore live job postings, take a career assessment, discover which companies in the Baltimore region are hiring, and more. View a brief tutorial video on how to use Career Coach at https://youtu.be/C7KpznbPYfA. Explore career and training opportunities at https://ccbcmd.emsicc.com/.
Technical Standards
Technical Standards for CCBC’s Veterinary Assistant Training Program
The primary goal of The Community College of Baltimore County’s Veterinary Assistants training program is to prepare individuals interested in working with animals in an entry-level position in animal shelters, animal emergency centers and veterinary practices. The duties of a Veterinary Assistant require the ability to routinely lift animals and sustain long hours of active work. They need to clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. Assistants may provide routine post-operative care, and administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians or veterinarians.
Following is a partial listing of the types of skills typically required for adequate job performance:
Physical Requirements:
A. Sufficient strength and mobility to:
- Lift or move animals up to 50 pounds or more
- Ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body continuously over time without giving out
B. Fine motor coordination sufficient to perform precise tasks such as:
- Ability to make precise movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects
- Ability to keep your arm and hand steady
- Ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs
C. Adequate vision to:
- See details at a distance
D. Sufficient hearing to:
- Hear and give verbal instructions in person under noisy conditions
- Identify and understand the speech of another person
Interpersonal Skills and Professionalism:
A. Have the ability to:
- Develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others and maintain them over time
- Provide customer and personal services, including the ability to perform customer needs assessment, meet quality matters standards, and evaluate customer satisfaction
- Maintain proper certifications required to perform the duties of the profession
B. Sufficient communication skills to:
- Provide information to supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates by telephone, written form, email, and in person
- Communicating with people outside of the organization and representing the organization to customers
- Communicate in a calm and professional manner
Intellectual Ability and Emotional Stability To:
- Apply critical thinking and problem solving skills
- Exercise independent judgment to properly perform tasks at hand
- Work calmly and efficiently in a fast-paced, stressful environment
- Maintain calm during emergency situations
Environment Requirements:
- Working in an environment that is often noisy
- Working in an often times stressful and fast paced environment
- Working in an environment with unpleasant odors (feces).