In just 16 weeks, students at Penn Foster can earn a veterinary assistant career diploma through online study. The curriculum covers a broad spectrum of veterinary care, such as animal behavior, anatomy, parasitology, aseptic techniques, emergency first aid, medications and surgical preparation. Courses are taught by Harcum College faculty. The cost of the program is $649, according to the Penn Foster website in 2014. The Veterinary Assistant program is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council.
Ashworth College awards personalized career diplomas to students who successfully complete the school’s online veterinary assistant course. The curriculum includes 22 lessons that teach students about animal behavior, anatomy, health and nutrition, emergency care, and laboratory techniques. Students typically finish in six months or less. Examinations are online and open-book. Students also receive a membership to the National Association of Veterinary Technologists of America, an organization that promotes professionalism in animal care. The Ashworth College website identified the program cost as $608 in 2014.
A veterinary assistant certificate is available through California State University, East Bay. Offered completely online, students take courses related to medical terminology, surgical procedures, record-keeping, specimen processing, cleaning methods and professionalism, for example. The cost of the certificate program is $1,825, as noted on the school’s website in 2014. Admission to the program requires keyboarding skills, English proficiency and basic computer knowledge. Curriculum modules are self-paced, so the length of time it takes to complete the course varies.
Students can earn an online veterinary assistant career certificate from the U.S. Career Institute in about four months. The curriculum includes five units that cover many facets of veterinary care, such as animal handling, first-aid, x-rays, examinations, anatomy, surgical operations, parasites and grooming. The U.S. Career Institute website noted that the cost of tuition in 2014 was $689 plus $29 for materials that supplement electronic books. The program also offers individual academic support and career placement assistance after graduation, such as help with resumes, cover letters, job search strategies and interviewing tips.