High school students are eligible to earn the Veterinary Assistant (VA) title by completing 200 hours of education/coursework and an apprenticeship (225 hours, clinical or non-clinical) under professional supervision. Coursework and Apprenticeship hours must be completed on or before August 31 of the students graduating year.
Step 1: Determine which career track(s) to teach.
- Students who complete the program are eligible to earn the veterinary assistant (VA) title and a completion of program certificate.
- Clinical: companion, livestock, and exotic animal health.
Students following this track are eligible to earn the clinical veterinary assistant (VA) certificate and program completion certificate. - One Health: animal, human, and environmental health. Students following this track are eligible to earn the One Health veterinary assistant certificate and a program completion certificate.
- Laboratory: animal health research and diagnostics. Students following this track are eligible to earn the Laboratory veterinary assistant certificate and a program completion certificate.
- Veterinary Assistant graduates are eligible to receive a certification through a third party organization by examination.
Step 2: Purchase curriculum needed for career track.
Print materials: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Bookstore – 979-985-5259
Web-based materials: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (Vet Science) – 979-458-8692
- Students complete 100 lessons
- Students following the One Health track (blue) or Laboratory track (green) will need the supplemental materials in that track along with the core curriculum (purple).
- Clinical track only: Agricultural science teachers, homeschool parents or other designated educator are able to teach up to 200 hours in the classroom of the required total 425 hours.
- Teacher training is available to demonstrate how to teach clinical skills to students.
- Students in the One Health and Laboratory tracks complete all 225 under a professional in that field (e.g., diagnostician or regulatory professional)
| Track | Option 1: Clinical | Option 1. One Health | Option 1: Laboratory |
| Option 1: Includes both print books and online teacher resource |
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| Option 2: Clinical | Option 2: One Health | Option 3: Laboratory | |
| Option 2: Includes online curriculum only (no print books needed) |
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| The clinical track is the only pathway to certification as a veterinary assistant. One Health and Laboratory tracks are provided as enrichment curriculum but does not lead to certification. |
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Step 3: Complete 225 apprenticeship hours.
- Students complete a minimum of 225 clinical skill hours in an apprenticeship under appropriate supervision.
- Veterinarian or LVT (clinical track) in veterinary practice.
- Students following the clinical track will use the VSCP Skills List to track required skills.
- Veterinarian or LVT (clinical track) in veterinary practice.
Step 4: Earn the veterinary assistant (VA) certificate in their track.
- Students who complete the curriculum receive a completion of program certificate and are eligible to earn the veterinary assistant (VA) certificate in their track by examination.
– Clinical Veterinary Assistant Certificate
– One Health Veterinary Assistant Certificate
– Laboratory Veterinary Assistant Certificate
Step 5: Apply for certification – $50 (clinical track only).
- Veterinary Assistant Certificate Examination.
- Students who pass the exam earn the veterinary assistant (VA) title and receive a certificate of completion designating them as a veterinary assistant.
High school implementation
Texas Education Agency: 19 TAC Chapter 130. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education
- Subchapter A. Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
– Veterinary Medical Application (One Credit), Adopted 2015.
Option:
– Year 1: complete curriculum (100 lessons, 50 activities, begin 200 classroom skill hours) = one credit
– Year 2: complete work-based learning veterinary clinic (225 hours under DVM, or LVT) = one to three credits