Veterinary assistants assist veterinarians with prevention and treatment of disease in animals. Duties can include holding animals during procedures, collecting and processing lab samples and administering medicines prescribed by the doctor. Professional Veterinary Assistant School explains the differences[1] between veterinary assistants, technicians and veterinarians; veterinary assistants require the shortest training of the three with training completed in 100-240 hours in most cases, spanning a few weeks to several months.
Typical costs:
In-person veterinary-assistant training typically costs $1,500-$3,000. For example, an in-person course at Carroll Community College[2] in Westminster, MD, can be completed in 150 classroom hours (4 to 12 months) and costs $1,500. No certificate is awarded after the course and topics include outpatient care, surgery and emergency care. The Veterinary Assistant course at Walters State Community College in Morristown, TN, costs $1,900 for 100 hours of instruction.
Online veterinary-assistant training typically costs $600-$1,800.The online veterinary assistant program at Excelsior College costs $1,795 for about 240 hours of coursework. The assignments can be completed at the student's own pace, and a certificate of completion is awarded at the end of a successful course. At Ashworth College[3] , the $628 online course includes 22 lessons, books and a diploma at the end of the course.
What should be included:
Veterinary-assistant training typically ranges from 100-240 hours of schooling, and may include coursework such as animal restraint, surgical preparation and assisting, ethics and law in the veterinary office.
A certificate of completion may or may not be awarded at the end of the course. While veterinary-technician programs are more advanced and may be part of an associate's or bachelor's degree program, veterinary assistant programs do not include any type of college degree.
Additional costs:
Books for veterinary-assistant school typically cost $40-$70 each, though these materials may be included in the cost of the program. For example, the textbook Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant[4] sells for about $38.
Uniforms for veterinary-assistant school typically cost $30-$200. For example, items such as veterinary scrubs, a lab coat, coveralls, and shoes are estimated at $135 at Cedar Valley Community College[5] .
Discounts:
Scholarships may be available to students who meet program qualifications such as a high GPA or a proven financial need. The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges lists several scholarship resources.
Shopping for veterinary-assistant training:
Typically, applicants to veterinary assistant schools must be 18 or older and have a high school diploma or GED.
The American Veterinary Medical Association[6] does not accredit veterinary-assistant programs like it recognizes veterinary technology and veterinary-medicine programs. If a school offers an accredited veterinary-technology program as well as a typical veterinary-assistant program, the school should explain the differences of the two programs to potential students.
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