Veterinary Technician is an Associate Of Occupational Science program (Hybrid) offered by Midwest Institute in Earth City, MO. The program takes 64 weeks, daytime to complete, with a total tuition of $29,360.
Program Overview
Midwest Institute’s Veterinary Technician program leads to an Associate of Occupational Science (AOS) degree and prepares graduates to assist veterinarians with examinations, treatment, surgery, laboratory testing and administrative work for both large and small animals. The program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).
Students train in seven major areas: anatomy and physiology, pathology, assisting skills, laboratory techniques, office procedures, surgery and public health. Coursework runs from veterinary office computing, medical math and basic science through laboratory practicals in hematology, urinalysis, parasitology, dermatology and culture, to advanced medicine and surgery, applied pharmacology and communication and ethics. The campus has a complete veterinary clinic and a farm, and the program’s resident animals give students hands-on experience handling and treating live animals.
The degree ends with a capstone course and 240 hours of clinical rotations in veterinary practice. Graduates prepare for the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) and can work in clinics, hospitals, research laboratories, shelters, zoos and farms.
What sets this Program apart
- AVMA CVTEA accredited. The program has been accredited by the AVMA CVTEA since its initial accreditation in 2014, which qualifies graduates to sit for the VTNE.
- A clinic and a farm on campus. Students work with small and large animals in the school’s own veterinary clinic and farm facilities.
- A degree in about 64 weeks. The AOS degree is completed in the daytime, with a blended option that moves theory online.
- Clinical rotations. Every student completes 240 hours of rotations in veterinary practice alongside the capstone course.
Admission Requirements and Process
At Midwest Institute, we admit students into career training programs in medical assisting, veterinary technician, dental assisting, massage therapy, and surgical technology. We evaluate your interest, motivation, and readiness so you can succeed in your chosen path. Our Admissions counselors carefully determine how you will benefit from the career path you have chosen.
General Requirements
- Minimum Age 17Applicants must be at least 17 years of age.
- High School Diploma or GEDApplicants must have proof of a high school diploma or GED. High school diploma must be from an accredited high school recognized by the Department of Education.
- No Felony ConvictionsApplicants cannot have a felony conviction, a felony will make them ineligible for all programs.
- Admissions InterviewPersons interested in applying to Midwest Institute may submit an application on the Midwest Institute website, phone, email, or write for an interview appointment. All students…
- Entrance Exam and EssayVeterinary Technician AOS Degree program applicants must pass an entrance exam prior to enrollment. This will include Verbal, Reading comprehension and math portions. An essay is…
- Online Readiness AssessmentOnline/blended programs: An online assessment must be completed and the student must meet the appropriate indicator levels prior to enrollment. All students must certify that they…
- Rabies VaccinationRabies vaccination is required for all Midwest Institute Veterinary Technology students. Students must schedule this vaccination within the first three weeks of the program to be…
- Health InsuranceA health insurance policy is required for all veterinary assisting students.
Application Process
- 1Contact AdmissionsReach out to Midwest Institute online, by phone, email, or in writing to set up an interview appointment with an Admissions counselor.
- 2Interview with AdmissionsMeet with an Admissions counselor, who will determine how you will benefit from the career path you have chosen. Entrance requirements may include an interview with the Director of Education.
- 3Complete Your ApplicationFollowing the interview, the applicant must complete an application for review and evaluation by a school official. Ask Admissions for the application.
- 4Pass the Entrance Exam and EssayVeterinary Technician applicants must pass an entrance exam with Verbal, Reading comprehension and math portions, and submit an essay, prior to enrollment. Online/blended students also complete an online readiness assessment.
- 5Complete the FAFSAFill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Midwest Institute's Financial Aid Office will guide you step by step through Pell Grants, Direct Loans, scholarships, VA benefits, or WIOA funding.FAFSA Code for Earth City: 014528Fill Out the FAFSA
- 6Acceptance and RegistrationAdmission is based to a great extent on the applicant’s interest in the paramedical field, responsible attitude, and maturity. A registration fee of $75 is required upon acceptance to a program.
Program Schedule
The Veterinary Technician AOS degree is 1,440 contact hours and 73.5 semester credits, normally completed in 64 weeks. Classes meet in the morning, and the program ends with 240 hours of clinical rotations that should be completed in about eight weeks during the day, generally 30 to 40 hours a week. The online/blended format delivers about 65 percent of the program online and 35 percent on campus. Tuition is charged over two academic years.
| Program and session | Class times |
|---|---|
| Medical Assisting, morning | 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday |
| Medical Assisting, evening | 6 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday |
| Dental Assisting, morning | 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday |
| Dental Assisting, evening | 6 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday |
| Massage Therapy, morning | 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday to Friday |
| Massage Therapy, evening | 6 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday |
| Veterinary Technician, morning | 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday |
Lab times on campus are scheduled within each program’s class hours and may change. The school is closed for New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Thanksgiving and the following Friday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On weather closings, classes move to Zoom. The catalog addendum lists start dates.
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
Midwest Institute is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The Veterinary Technician program is also accredited by the AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Student Demographics
These are demographics for all students at the Earth City Campus (IPEDS, 2024).
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge (2026-27) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $29,360 |
| Registration fee | $75 |
| Rabies vaccination fee | $676 |
| Program fees | $200 |
| Lab fees, academic year 1 | $550 |
| Lab fees, academic year 2 | $550 |
| Books | $1,277 |
| Total | $32,688 |
The addendum prints a total of $31,411 for tuition, the registration, vaccination and program fees and both years of lab fees; books, which include the Vet Tech Prep software for the capstone, are listed separately and are added here. The AAVSB state and national board exams cost $390 more and are not included in tuition or fees. Students also furnish scrubs and shoes.
Financial aid. Midwest Institute takes part in the federal student aid programs: eligible students can receive Federal Pell Grants and Federal Direct Loans. The school is approved for VA education benefits, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and eligible students may also qualify for military tuition assistance, scholarships or Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding. The school does not publish its federal school code. Tuition can be paid without interest while you attend, and the balance must be paid in full before your diploma or transcripts are released. Use the school’s net price calculator for a personal estimate.
Cancellation and refunds. You can cancel within three working days of signing the enrollment contract and making a first payment, by letter postmarked within that period or in person, and receive everything you paid within 30 days. If the school does not accept your application, all money paid is refunded. After the three-day period and before classes begin, cancelling forfeits the $75 registration fee. Once classes start, a student who withdraws within the first 10 percent of the days is charged 10 percent of the tuition, within 25 percent is charged 25 percent, and before 50 percent is charged 50 percent; there is no refund after half of the program or academic year. Tuition is charged per academic year: certificate programs have one academic year and the associate degree has two.
Curriculum
Twenty required courses, 1,440 contact hours and 73.5 semester credits. The first-year VA courses cover veterinary office computing, medical business, laboratory practical and lecture I, anatomy and physiology, basic science, medicine and surgery, medical terminology, medical math and employment preparation. The second-year VT courses cover laboratory practical and lecture II, advanced anatomy and physiology, advanced medicine and surgery, communication and ethics, psychology, public health and parasitology, applied pharmacology, the capstone and 240 hours of clinical rotations. Hours and credits follow the catalog’s course descriptions and add up to the program totals. The catalog’s program page lists Medical Math as VA:101 while its course description numbers it VA:170.
The required courses below are from Midwest Institute's published catalog.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | External | Total | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA:103 | Veterinary Office Computing | 25 | 1.5 | |
| VA:104 | Medical Business | 35 | 2 | |
| VA:115 | Laboratory Practical I | 160 | 5 | |
| VA:126 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology | 100 | 6.5 | |
| VA:129 | Basic Science | 45 | 3 | |
| VA:135 | Laboratory Lecture I | 60 | 4 | |
| VA:145 | Medicine and Surgery | 50 | 3 | |
| VA:149 | Medical Terminology | 20 | 1 | |
| VA:158 | Employment Preparation | 20 | 1 | |
| VA:170 | Medical Math | 45 | 3 | |
| VT:215 | Laboratory Practical II | 100 | 3 | |
| VT:226 | Advanced Anatomy and Physiology | 160 | 10.5 | |
| VT:235 | Laboratory Lecture II | 60 | 4 | |
| VT:245 | Advanced Medicine and Surgery | 60 | 4 | |
| VT:250 | Communications and Ethics within Veterinary Medicine | 45 | 3 | |
| VT:255 | Psychology for Veterinary Technicians | 45 | 3 | |
| VT:260 | Public Health and Parasitology | 45 | 3 | |
| VT:265 | Applied Veterinary Pharmacology | 45 | 3 | |
| VT:270 | Veterinary Technician Capstone | 80 | 5 | |
| Veterinary Technician Clinical Rotations | 240 | 240 | 5 | |
| Totals | 240 | 1,440 | 73.5 |
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| VA:103 | Veterinary Office Computing | 1.5 |
| VA:104 | Medical Business | 2 |
| VA:115 | Laboratory Practical I | 5 |
| VA:126 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology | 6.5 |
| VA:129 | Basic Science | 3 |
| VA:135 | Laboratory Lecture I | 4 |
| VA:145 | Medicine and Surgery | 3 |
| VA:149 | Medical Terminology | 1 |
| VA:158 | Employment Preparation | 1 |
| VA:170 | Medical Math | 3 |
| VT:215 | Laboratory Practical II | 3 |
| VT:226 | Advanced Anatomy and Physiology | 10.5 |
| VT:235 | Laboratory Lecture II | 4 |
| VT:245 | Advanced Medicine and Surgery | 4 |
| VT:250 | Communications and Ethics within Veterinary Medicine | 3 |
| VT:255 | Psychology for Veterinary Technicians | 3 |
| VT:260 | Public Health and Parasitology | 3 |
| VT:265 | Applied Veterinary Pharmacology | 3 |
| VT:270 | Veterinary Technician Capstone | 5 |
| Veterinary Technician Clinical Rotations | 5 | |
| Totals | 73.5 |
Career Outcomes
Veterinary technicians work in veterinary clinics and hospitals, research and diagnostic laboratories, animal control facilities, humane societies and shelters, zoos and aquariums, biomedical and wildlife facilities, and on ranches and farms. Certification is not required to work in Missouri; the school has not determined whether the program meets other states’ licensure or certification requirements.
Published rates. For July 2024 to June 2025, Midwest Institute reports an 84 percent graduation rate and a 76 percent placement rate for the Veterinary Technician program, calculated with the ABHES formula. For January 2023 to December 2025, 36 first-time candidates took the Veterinary Technician National Exam, with a three-year pass percentage of 50.46 percent.
Placement help includes resume and interview coaching, employer networking and job referrals, and it continues after graduation. The school cannot guarantee placement.
What to expect as a Midwest Institute student
Midwest Institute has trained medical, dental, veterinary and massage professionals in the St. Louis area since it opened in Kirkwood in 1965. Its Earth City campus, off the Earth City Expressway near I-70, has classrooms, medical and dental exam rooms, massage therapy rooms, laboratory classrooms with microscopes, centrifuges, electrocardiograph and IV equipment, a surgical operatory lab, a complete veterinary clinic and a farm. The campus is accessible, and administrative offices are generally open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
Attendance is taken seriously: an absence is an absence, whether excused or not, and arriving late or leaving early takes 2 percent off each course grade, up to 10 percent. Blended students attend their remote classes in real time on the residential schedule and must come to every scheduled lab on campus; missing more than two lab days in a module means withdrawal. Students wear scrubs and approved tennis shoes. To graduate, students complete all assignments, hold at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA, and settle their accounts. One-on-one tutoring, help finding housing and placement assistance are available, and graduates can return for placement help at any time, although the school cannot guarantee a job.
Midwest Institute of Massage Therapy in Belleville, Illinois, is a different school and is not affiliated with Midwest Institute.
About Surgical Technology. The catalog also lists a Surgical Technology Associate of Applied Science degree. ABHES withdrew that program’s approval from the school’s grant of accreditation in August 2022 and the school did not appeal; the January 2026 catalog says the program is in the process of approval for initial programmatic accreditation through ABHES. It is not listed here until that approval is confirmed.