Veterinary assistants are valuable members of veterinary healthcare teams.
They help care for animals by feeding and exercising them, giving them vaccines and medications, and monitoring their condition.
They assist veterinarians and veterinary technicians in dental, laboratory, and surgical procedures, restraining animals, taking their vitals, and prepping exam rooms and equipment.
They also take on front office duties, maintaining medical records, setting up appointments, collecting fees, and communicating with clients.
In San Diego, CA, they earn around $35,000 to $36,000 on average.
They can get paid more with more experience, skills, and credentials.
If you want to pursue a career in veterinary assisting, you should enroll in a veterinary assisting course.
Check out the veterinary assistant schools in San Diego, CA below.
San Diego State University
About the School
San Diego State University is a public research university that provides quality academic curricula that prepare students for a global future.
Founded in 1897, they are San Diego’s oldest higher education institution.
Their mission is “to provide research-oriented, high-quality education for undergraduate and graduate students and to contribute to the solution of problems through excellence and distinction in teaching, research, and service.”
They take pride in their highly-ranked graduate programs in engineering, fine arts, public affairs, business, psychology, biological sciences, education, health, entrepreneurship, and more.
Whether bachelor’s degrees, doctoral degrees, or online programs, they have a continued dedication to providing a state–of–the–art learning environment to be a premier center of education, research, and service.
They have five campus locations: SDSU San Diego, SDSU Georgia, SDSU Global Campus, SDSU Imperial Valley, and SDSU Mission Valley.
Courses Offered
The Veterinary Assistant Program is an SDSU Global Campus offering.
It is available completely online in cooperation with Ed2Go.
It aims to teach students about the anatomy and physiology of the major organ systems, the different animal restraining techniques, and nutrition and medications.
It also covers how to assist during laboratory, dental, and surgical procedures.
It includes handling medical records, communicating with clients, and performing front office duties too.
The program is taught by an experienced veterinary professional and can be completed in less than six months.
Address: 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182
California State University
About the School
California State University is a public university system in the state of California.
Established in 1857, they are the largest public university system in the world, consisting of 23 campuses and 7 off-campus centers across the state, enrolling nearly 500,000 students, and employing 56,000+ faculty and staff.
They offer bachelor’s and higher degree programs in the sciences, liberal arts, and other areas of study, and provide public services for university and community enrichment.
They also have Professional and Continuing Education, International, and Online Programs to meet the needs of their diverse student population.
They strive to advance and extend knowledge, learning, and culture to the communities they serve and provide opportunities for individuals to develop personally, intellectually, and professionally.
Courses Offered
The Veterinary Assistant Program is an online course that prepares students to become productive members of a veterinary team as a veterinary assistant.
It covers all the requirements that veterinary hospitals, clinics, and offices look for.
It features every aspect of veterinary assisting, from anatomy and physiology and animal restraint to prescription preparation and assisting in surgeries.
It also teaches how to interact with clients in a professional manner and how to be ready for the job market.
Upon successful completion, graduates are expected to be able to:
- Have the knowledge about key topics in pet care, such as pet nutrition, vaccines, and medication
- Perform laboratory sample collection, handling, and interpretation
- Assist in dental, surgical, and laboratory procedures
- Take radiographs
- Calculate dosage, prepare, and administer medications
- Understand animal behavior and use appropriate training techniques
This program is open enrollment, and taught by a veterinary healthcare expert.
It requires a total of 225 course hours and takes 6 months to complete.
It costs $2,145.
Address: 333 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, CA 92096, United States
Pima Medical Institute
About the School
Pima Medical Institute is a private medical career college that specializes in allied health care programs.
Established in 1972, they are the largest independently owned private allied health school in the country.
From the start, they have been committed to providing education and training that prepare students for careers in the healthcare field.
Their career-focused curriculums consist of certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s programs in medical, dental, and veterinary studies.
They strive to help their students achieve success through quality hands-on healthcare education onsite and online.
Accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, they have multiple locations throughout the western U.S.
Courses Offered
The Veterinary Assistant Certificate Program teaches the essential skills to work as a veterinary assistant, laboratory animal caretaker, or animal care worker in veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, animal shelters, zoos, and other environments.
It covers the following animal care knowledge and skills:
- Providing preventative healthcare
- Collecting and preparing laboratory samples
- Assisting with animal nursing
- Administering medications
- Providing pre-and post-operative care
- Understanding pharmacology basics
- Recognizing animal behavior
- Communicating with clients
It provides hands-on training and is taught by experienced instructors.
Course length is approximately 9 months.
Address: 111 Campus Way Suite 100, San Marcos, CA 92078, United States
Veterinary Assistant Schools by City in California
- Bakersfield, CA2 Schools
- Fresno, CA2 Schools
- Los Angeles, CA4 Schools
- Oakland, CA2 Schools
- Riverside, CA1 Schools
- Sacramento, CA3 Schools
- San Diego, CA3 Schools
- San Jose, CA2 Schools
