Homeschool Program
- Students work with a parent or homeschool instructor to complete the required curriculum and apprenticeship. Parents/instructors assign lessons and activities and track student progress.
- Students must complete the curriculum and apprenticeship in their chosen career track (outlined below).
Career Tracks
- 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.
Print & Web-Based Curriculum:
- Books: available through the Texas A&M AgriLife Bookstore – 979-985-5259.
- Web-based resources available through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (Vet Science Catalog) – 979-458-8692. Web-based resources are separated by track and intended for use along with corresponding book.
- Students are required to complete 100 lessons in their chosen career track.
| Veterinary Science Certificate Program – Curriculum Options |
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| 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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| Track | Option 2: Clinical | Option 2: One Health | Option 2: 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. | |||
Web-Based Teacher Resources – Prices
- Web-Based: Veterinary Science Teacher Resource – Clinical Track ($110 annual subscription)
- Web-Based: One Health Teacher Resources – One Health Track. ($75 annual subscription)
- Web-Based: Laboratory Science Teacher Resources – Laboratory Track. ($75 annual subscription).
Complete 300 apprenticeship hours.
- Students complete a minimum of 300 clinical skill hours in an apprenticeship under appropriate supervision.
- Veterinarian or credentialed technician or LVT, CVT, RVT or LVMT in veterinary practice.
- Students following the clinical track will use the NAVTA Veterinary Assistant Essential Skills List to track required skills. These are national standards developed and recommended by Agrilife Extension Veterinary Medicine.
- Veterinarian or credentialed technician or LVT, CVT, RVT or LVMT in veterinary practice.
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
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.