SSU Offers New Veterinary Assistant Training Program

Dec. 12, 2011

Shawnee State University is adding a new veterinary assistant program to its offerings for spring semester. Dr. Gail Counts, DVM, founder and co-owner of Shawnee Animal Clinic and Tim Wells, RVT, co-owner of Shawnee Animal Clinic will be instructing the program.

Veterinary assistants play a hands-on role with animals under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian and veterinary technician. Assistants help provide medical care, feeding, bathing, and they assist with examinations and tests for animals. Working with animals requires a love of animals and the knowledge of how to work with and take care of them.

The Veterinary Assistant training program is intended to help individuals gain knowledge, basic skills, and abilities necessary to perform in a veterinary office, animal shelter, pet store or kennel at an entry level position. Candidates for the program will have a love of animals and a strong background in biology and math.

Ohio does not currently require certification to become a Veterinarian assistant, and most training is only available on the job. This program is a non-college credit professional development training program.

The program is in two parts, Veterinary Assistant I and Veterinary Assistant II. The first part is in the evenings 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Tuesday, Jan. 10 to Thursday, March 8, 2012.

Students will learn essential skills to help them keep animals healthy, care for them when they are ill, and assist veterinarians in the office.

The second session is 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Tuesday, April 3 to Thursday, May 24, 2012. The course builds on the skills and knowledge of the Veterinary Assistant Training I. Part II of the program will require Off-Site labs at Shawnee Animal Clinic. Labs will be held every Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. only during Part II of this program.

Students are required to purchase two textbooks, available at Barnes and Noble Bookstore on the campus of Shawnee State University, "Learning Veterinary Terminology," 2nd Edition, 2002, by Douglas F. McBride, and "Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant," 2nd Edition, 2009, by Paula Pattengale. "The American Red Cross Pet First Aid" book will be provided.

The cost of the program is $559 per course. Registration may be made in person at University Outreach Services in the Massie Hall basement, by calling (740) 351-3274 or call toll free at (866) 672-8778.