Online Veterinary Assistant Schools: How to Choose

Veterinary assistants often work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics or animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. Online veterinary assistant certificate programs are available for students seeking training in this field.

How to Choose an Online School for Veterinary Assistants

Presentation Format and Program Availability

Online programs for veterinary assistants are typically available as certificate programs. Different programs may be presented through a variety of means. E-mail, online forums and message boards, voice conferencing and instant messaging are all common communication tools used in online courses. Students may submit tests and assignments via e-mail or take live tests through online testing or assignment software. Audio or video tapes, physical textbooks, flash cards and pronunciation guides may all be employed as learning aides for students, depending on the program they choose. Different schools present their online learning programs using a different combination of these tools; prospective online veterinary assistant students may wish to visit the websites of the schools under consideration to review the formats and choose one that fits their preferred learning styles.

Curriculum Focus

These online programs typically include classes regarding the administrative responsibilities of veterinary assistants. The classes cover communicating with customers, scheduling, finances and the other tasks that are required to run a veterinary practice. Some programs also include classes regarding animal handling and care, such as grooming, animal anatomy and physiology, disease and emergency care. Because programs often have varying combinations of these classes, students may wish to consider their overall career goals when choosing an online program, such as whether they wish to focus on strictly on administrative duties or a balance of the two.

Online Veterinary Assistants School Programs

Online Veterinary Assistant Certificate

Though not as common as traditional, on-campus programs, online veterinary assistant certificate programs are available from many different colleges and universities. The certificate may be achieved in about six months to one year, though pacing is normally individualized to the student in online programs. Common courses include veterinary medical terminology, breed identification, veterinary office practices, office billing, grooming and animal handling.