Veterinary Assisting

Do you enjoy working with animals? The Veterinary Assisting diploma is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment as an assistant to a veterinarian or veterinary technician, and can be finished in as fast as 10 months (720 clock hours).

Students learn ethics and law, animal anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, and animal care activities. Through hands-on lab experiences they learn to keep medical and imaging records, offer client education, assist with nursing duties, prepare for surgeries and assist in a routine exam, along with front desk tasks such as customer service and clerical work. Before graduation students spend 180 hours in an externship working side by side with a veterinary team. A set of required materials and textbooks is provided at no additional cost.

Here are a few of the reasons Southern Technical College gives for choosing it:

• Employers recognize the quality of its graduates. Competency-based education holds both learners and teachers accountable and ensures measurable outcomes.
• Career training on your terms. Choose morning or evening classes, online or in the classroom.
• Instructors who don't just teach from the book. Instructors are qualified professionals with industry-specific expertise.
• Practical, hands-on training is built into all programs.
• Small classes. The average student-to-faculty ratio is 24:1 for didactic courses and 18:1 for lab courses.
• Help after graduation. Career Services assists with interviewing skills and resumes, and graduates may take refresher training in their program area when space permits.
• Industry input. Advisory boards of industry leaders for each academic department review the curriculum and make recommendations.

Admission criteria. To be admitted, a prospective student must complete an interview with a Southern Technical College Admissions Representative and submit a completed enrollment agreement. All applicants must have proof of standard high school graduation or completion of a GED, provided before the first day of attendance. Valid proof includes a copy of the diploma or GED certificate, high school or GED transcripts, home-school completion documents, an associate degree transcript from an accredited institution, or a letter from the high school or state records office; foreign credentials must be translated and evaluated by a third-party agency.

General entrance requirements. Complete the application/enrollment agreement, provide proof of high school graduation or GED, meet with an Admissions Representative, and meet any programmatic entry requirements. Applicants under the age of 17 are not eligible for enrollment, and the College requires a document showing your physical location at the time of enrollment.

Length. The Diploma in Veterinary Assisting is 52.5 quarter credit hours over 40 weeks, offered at Auburndale, Brandon, Fort Myers, Orlando, Port Charlotte and Sanford. STC operates on a quarter credit system (10 lecture hours, 20 lab hours or 30 externship hours equal 1 credit), and full-time students carry twelve credits per term.

Class times. Classes are typically scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and on Fridays generally from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Most quarter-based students attend four to five hours per scheduled day, two to four days a week, while students in modular programs typically attend Monday through Thursday. Most students are either day or night students; the scheduled hours are listed on your enrollment agreement and for some programs vary from term to term.

Terms and starts. The 2026-2027 academic calendar runs twelve-week quarter terms (for example Winter 2027 starts January 4, 2027 and Spring 2027 starts April 5, 2027) alongside shorter modular terms. Registration and orientation take place the week before each class start; contact Admissions for start dates.

Tuition is quoted as a total program cost and a set of required materials and textbooks is provided at no additional cost. The College operates on a quarter credit system; a quarter is 12 weeks of instruction, and all tuition for a quarter is due on the first day of that payment period. Events such as transfer of credit, failing a course or an interruption in attendance may change the total cost.

Separate optional and non-refundable fees apply, including a $10 additional official transcript fee, a $30 bad cheque fee and a $100 per-exam challenge examination fee.

Graduates are eligible to take the Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) exam. Veterinary assistants work under the supervision of veterinarians and veterinary technicians in client service and education, front desk work, exam room preparation, filling scripts, setting up lab work, and nursing and animal care.

Career options upon graduation.

• Animal hospitals
• Animal specialty clinics
• Animal day care facilities
• Animal shelters
• Boarding facilities
• Pet stores
• Veterinary clinics

Licensing and employment. The College prepares graduates to obtain entry-level employment in the State of Florida. Program completion does not guarantee eligibility for, or a passing score on, any certification, licensure or registration exam, nor does it guarantee employment.

Orientation. A student orientation is held before each start date to introduce new students to the College's facilities, policies and procedures, to meet the staff and to take care of administrative matters; some programs add a separate programmatic orientation.

Support. Each campus offers free tutoring and academic assistance outside class time, open labs for extra practice in technical programs, and a staffed Learning Resource Center. Career Services starts working with students as soon as they begin, with workshops, mock interviews, guidance on professional dress and resume preparation. Free parking is provided; housing is not.

Attendance. STC is an attendance-taking institution: attendance, timeliness, participation and in-class work count for up to 15% of the grade in most courses, and a student who misses 14 consecutive calendar days may be removed from enrollment.

Externship. The College does not guarantee a specific site or schedule for the externship; externships are generally scheduled during daytime hours. Students are responsible for the cost of any emergency treatment from injuries on assignment, and must carry personal health insurance if the site requires it.