Veterinary Assisting

The Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Veterinary Assisting prepares students for introductory careers in veterinary medicine and animal health which require basic knowledge and skills involving animal care and management, veterinary medical care, and client communications and service.

Details

Field of Interest
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Degree Type
Certificate of Completion (CCL)
Academic Plan
Veterinary Assisting (CER)
Academic Plan Code
5960
Total credits required
18
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

What You'll Learn
  • Participate in business and facility management by creating, maintaining, and filing appointment schedules, patient/client records, financial records, logs and inventory records, and by demonstrating effective client communication skills.
  • Utilize medical terminology in verbal and written communications and explain the principles of ethics and legal issues in veterinary technology.
  • Utilize computers and computer software programs to facilitate creation, storage, and retrieval of data files.
  • Assist in collection of clinical laboratory specimen for analysis, including hematology, urinalysis, blood chemistry, hemostasis, serology, cytology, parasitology, and necropsy.
  • Compare and contrast the basics of anatomy and physiology of common domestic animals, and apply that knowledge to performing common clinical procedures and treatments.
  • Perform proper techniques of basic husbandry, restraint and handling, and assist in small animal nursing and exam room procedures.
  • Assess life-stage nutritional requirements for well animals, identify common feeds and feeding practices, and effectively communicate the special nutritional requirements and feeding of diseased animals.
  • Demonstrate proper use and maintenance of veterinary diagnostic, surgical, and therapeutic equipment.
  • Identify therapeutic drugs, vaccines, and supplements used in veterinary medicine, and effectively communicate their mechanisms, common uses, side effects, and regulatory considerations.
  • Recognize legal issues associated with pharmaceuticals, fill prescriptions, and perform inventory control.
  • Assist the veterinary technician and/or veterinarian in the completion of diagnostic radiographs and ultrasound including restraining and positioning of patients and observing safety standards.
  • Assist in the surgical preparation of the patient, set up of the surgery suite, and maintain asepsis.
  • Maintain surgical instruments and operating room sanitation and care.

Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Animal Caretakers
$31,710
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
$32,180

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
VET101 Introduction to Veterinary Technology Critical course Gateway course 3
VET101LL Animal Care Skills I Laboratory 2
VET103 Veterinary Assisting I Only offered in Fall 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or SB or L or SB 3
VET104 Veterinary Assisting II Only offered in Spring 3
VET109 Veterinary Assisting Internship Only offered in Spring 1
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm11?id=184079).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

Previous catalog years for Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Veterinary Assisting