Aligned to industry standards and designed with job-readiness in mind, Penn Foster’s Veterinary Assistant Career Diploma curriculum prepares learners to build the fundamental skills and knowledge needed to be an asset to your veterinary practice.
Career Diploma
Accredited
Estimated completion time:
The estimated completion times are based on completion times for consumer learners enrolled in this program from May 2021 - April 2022, excluding withdrawals. Enterprise Solution rates may be higher but are highly dependent upon implementation choices.
In this course, your learners will develop the necessary skills to ensure their success in the program. They’ll learn how they can improve their study skills so they're able to use a number of tools that will help them be successful.
By the end of this course, your learners will be able to do the following:
In this course, your learners will get an overview of what’s needed to work as a veterinary assistant in a variety of settings. Veterinary assistants work closely with animals alongside other veterinary professionals. This course will introduce your learners to the skills needed to be a valuable member of the veterinary team in any of the many different areas of the profession. Veterinary healthcare is an exciting, constantly changing field.
By the end of this course, your learners will be able to do the following:
This course provides an introduction to veterinary terminology. Your learners will learn to recognize, understand, and pronounce anatomical and veterinary procedure terminology. They’ll also learn about metric terms and abbreviations. They’ll study the anatomical terms to correctly indicate the orientation and location of animal body parts, and they’ll recognize cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems, both structurally and functionally. They will also study the four major classes of joints and explain how they function. Finally, they will describe the structure and function of skin and the animal’s fur, identify the glands and their secretions, explain the structural and functional differences between the organs of the upper and lower respiratory system, and understand how the lungs and the parts of the respiratory system work together to supply oxygen to the body’s cells.
By the end of this course, your learners will be able to do the following:
In this course, your learners will identify the organs of the digestive system and explain the structure and function of each part, compare the structure of the stomach and large intestine of carnivores and herbivores, recognize the organs of male and female reproductive systems and the events that occur during fertilization, and explain the anatomy and functions of the urinary system. They’ll also study the organization of the nervous system and how the nervous system receives and interprets information; the four senses and their primary functions, which are to provide animals with an awareness of their environment and assist them in their survival; and the function of the endocrine system and the major glands and hormones that maintain body homeostasis.
By the end of this course, your learners will be able to do the following:
In this course, your learners will learn about proper nutrition for animals and the veterinary assistant’s role in nutritional care. They’ll also study the reproductive systems of the male and female animals. They will study how to care for aging animals. They will learn about the unique anatomies of birds and reptiles. Finally, they will learn to take a good medical history, perform a thorough physical examination, and assist the veterinarian with the animal patient in ways that are humane, safe, and effective.
By the end of this course, your learners will be able to do the following:
In this course, your learners will learn about what vaccines exist, how vaccines work, and when a vaccination is necessary. They’ll also study how to handle calls from pet owners, how to advise owners on how to transport injured animals, and how to provide appropriate first aid in transport. They’ll learn to recognize the signs of common emergency problems and participate in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In addition, they will learn to recognize the different types of wounds, explain how a wound heals and the factors that affect wound healing, care for wounds, and identify the proper way to maintain, change, and remove bandages, splints, casts, and slings.
By the end of this course, your learners will be able to do the following:
In this course, your learners will learn about parasites and parasitology, the different types of animal parasites, and how to diagnose, treat, and prevent parasites. They’ll also learn how to monitor and observe an animal’s habits and behaviors. They’ll study common procedures used in veterinary sample collection and diagnosis, treatment procedures involved in veterinary nursing, and physical therapy concerns and methods relevant to your duties as a veterinary assistant. They’ll also study the principles and procedures of dog and cat dental prophylaxis, as well as the concerns and procedures of pediatric, geriatric, and routine animal health care. Finally, they will study veterinary drugs, where they come from, and who regulates them. They’ll learn how drugs enter the body and how to ensure that the right amount enters and identify drugs used for infection, inflammation, vital organs, body systems, disease prevention, and hormone regulation.
By the end of this course, your learners will be able to do the following:
In this course, your learners will study the principles of radiology and the veterinary assistant’s role in radiology. Your learners will learn how to prepare patients for radiographic and ultrasound examination and the safety measures and guidelines for radiographic procedures. They will learn how to label, file, and store radiographs. They will also learn to recognize various surgical instruments and how to clean, sterilize (eliminate all bacteria, fungi, and viruses), and maintain the instruments. Finally, they will learn the general process of admitting a patient to a hospital and the importance of a good relationship with the animal’s owner, as well as study some commonly performed surgical procedures and how to prepare an animal for surgery. They will learn to recognize anesthetic drugs, how they’re used, the anesthetic process, and how an animal is monitored and maintained under anesthesia.
By the end of this course, your learners will be able to do the following:
In this course, your learners will learn how to order and maintain office inventory and supplies as well as how to admit and discharge patients and prepare appropriate release forms and certificates. They'll study the role of the veterinary assistant within a typical veterinary practice, including how successful interpersonal communication skills can help you deal with clients and coworkers. They’ll also study some of the basic accounting principles they will need to keep accurate records of office financial transactions. They’ll prepare billing statements and collection letters, write checks, complete deposit slips, and reconcile bank statements.
By the end of this course, your learners be able to do the following:
This course introduces learners to the Veterinary Assistant externship. The goal of this clinical externship is to provide your learners with the hands-on experience necessary to develop the skills they’ll need to work as a veterinary assistant. They’ll practice under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian or credentialed veterinary technician. This externship consists of 100 hours of clinical experience in a full-service companion animal practice to be completed in 8 to 16 weeks.
By the end of this course, your learners will be able to do the following:
Fill out the form below to receive additional information from Penn Foster
Fill out the form below to receive additional information from Penn Foster
Fill out the form below to receive additional information from Penn Foster