Veterinary assistants in Memphis, TN earn an average salary of $14 per hour or about $30,000 per year.
With more experience, advanced skills, and credentials, they can get paid higher, around $20+ per hour or $45,000+ per year.
This career is something you might want to consider pursuing if you love animals and want to earn well.
To start your journey to becoming a veterinary assistant, you have to take a veterinary assisting course.
You can get your certification and apply to entry-level veterinary assistant positions in just a few months.
Check out the list of veterinary schools in Memphis, TN below to see your options.
University of Memphis
About the School
The University of Memphis is a public research university founded in 1912 as West Tennessee State Normal School.
Located in east Memphis’ University District, they occupy 1,160 acres that house several buildings and offer a park-like setting.
They are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and they offer a broad range of academic programs.
From Health Sciences and Engineering to Education and Business, their bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and certificate programs are designed to advance new knowledge.
Their mission is to educate students to prepare them for productive pursuits.
They are committed to providing success-driven education that extends beyond graduation by applying a three-step model: Access – Opportunities – Outcomes.
They are also dedicated to impact-driven research and want to deliver life-changing interdisciplinary research and scholarship with the help of world-class infrastructure and highly motivated researchers to address the community and society’s greatest challenges.
Courses Offered
The Veterinary Assistant Program is an online program that teaches important knowledge and skills to become a valuable member of a veterinary team.
It is self-paced and offers open enrollment.
It aims to prepare students for the typical day-to-day tasks of a veterinary assistant in a hospital or clinic, such as:
- Basic animal care – feeding, bathing, weighing, and exercising
- Animal restraint techniques – to take vital signs, for procedures, etc.
- Medication and vaccinations – preparing and administering
- Samples – collection, handling, and interpretation
- Surgery and dental procedures – providing assistance before, during, and after
The syllabus consists of 36 lessons.
The full program requires 225 course hours and costs $2,145.
Address: 3720 Alumni Ave, Memphis, TN 38152, United States
Southwest Tennessee Community College
About the School
Southwest Tennessee Community College is a public community college established in 2000
They are the result of a merger between the former State Technical Institute at Memphis and the former Shelby State Community College.
They strive to be a teaching, learning, and equity-centered college where students can pursue associate degrees and technical certificates and undergo workforce development training to be prepared for the demands and challenges of the real world.
They pride in their diverse student body and the many advantages they offer, including experienced faculty and staff in every discipline, small classes, a broad range of programs, affordable tuition, financial aid, transferable classes, digital learning, and weekend degree programs.
As a comprehensive, multicultural, and open-access college, they are dedicated to delivering personalized hands-on and online instruction.
They respect academic freedom and work to be ethical and professional at all times.
Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, they have multiple campuses, centers, and sites throughout Memphis and the surroundings.
Courses Offered
The Become A Veterinary Assistant Program is designed to give students essential information about the role of a veterinary assistant in a veterinary facility.
In this course, students will learn about the following:
- Pet Nutrition
- Health and safety issues in animals
- Treatment and prevention of roundworms, heartworms, and other parasites
- Facts of life as it pertains to cats and dogs
- Spaying and neutering
- Dealing with pet loss and euthanasia
- Assisting clients in times of need
The syllabus also features administrative duties, such as:
- Keeping accurate medical records
- Maintaining client confidentiality
- Client communication and education
- Cash flow of a typical veterinary hospital
There are no prerequisites to take the course and students can choose to enroll in an Instructor-Led class or a Self-Paced class.
The program requires 24 course hours and costs $135.
Address: 5983 Macon Cove, Memphis, TN 38134, United States
Veterinary Assistant Schools by City in Tennessee
