Veterinary Assisting FAQs
Review the questions and answers below when considering the Veterinary Assisting College Credit Certificate program. Reach out to a Health Sciences advisor if you have additional questions.
Click each topic in the accordion to see the answer.
Veterinary assistants are veterinary professionals that assist veterinary technicians and veterinarians in day-to-day tasks. They have many jobs including but not limited to client education, animal husbandry, clean and disinfecting, animal restraint, and assisting with laboratory procedures.
Yes. Due to the number of applicants and clinical space limitations, admission to the Veterinary Assistant program is selective.
A maximum of 25 students are accepted into the Veterinary Assisting program, which is run on a one-year cycle. A limited number of alternates are also selected to serve as standbys in case an accepted student declines admission.
Selection to the Veterinary Assisting program has a specialized application process and admission is based on an objective point system. Points are given on a sliding scale for a student's GPA, completed course work and work experience. Bonus points are given for completion of specific support courses. View the Veterinary Assisting main page for details about the application process and the selection criteria point system.
No. However, it is recommended that you contact the Health Sciences Advisor at 321-433-7575 to ensure you have met all of the other application requirements.
Applicants are notified of their status approximately four to six weeks after the application deadline. Accepted students are then required to attend an orientation session.
Veterinary Assisting is a part-time, one-year college credit certificate program that runs during the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters. View the course sequencing. Please note that course sequences are subject to change. Class times and schedule will vary depending on the semester.
Applicant must have a college GPA of 2.0, with a minimum of 6 college credits (Suggested Courses: BSCC 1084 - Survey of Anatomy and Physiology and SLS 1101 - Success Strategies for College and Life).
Forward an official copy of your previous college transcript(s) to the EFSC Registrar's Office who will evaluate them and accept as many of your previous courses as possible. Remember, only courses completed with a grade of "C" or better are transferable. The date of course completion is also important, as support courses must have been taken within the past 10 years.
Veterinary Assisting is a three-semester certificate program available as either a part-time, stand-alone College Credit Certificate or as a precursor to the Veterinary Technology A.S. degree program. Most courses completed in the Vet Assisting program will transfer into the vet tech associate degree program and reduce your initial course load.
Veterinary Assisting classes are generally held during the morning and/or afternoon. Some hybrid and online classes are included in the program. It is recommended that you contact the Health Sciences Advisor at 321-433-7575 to ensure that this program is right for you.
Yes, courses do follow a course sequence that is listed in the EFSC Catalog. Each Veterinary assisting course is offered once a year on the Cocoa Campus. Courses must be completed with a grade of "D" or better. If transferring into the Vet Tech degree program, courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better. Course registration each term takes place through the Program Manager and Health Sciences Campus Advisor.
Tuition is charged per credit hour, with 14 credit hours of required course work in the program. Refer to the tuition page for current cost information.
Additional costs include lab fees, books, uniforms and equipment. All accepted students in the program are required to purchase the Allied Health Liability Insurance and also the Education/Training Student Accident Insurance through EFSC. This will be automatically added to the lab fees of one of your courses and this insurance is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.
The College does not provide housing, and the student is responsible for transportation to and from assigned veterinary clinics for clinical course work.
Yes. A uniform consisting of Ceil blue-colored scrubs is required. Upon acceptance to the program, specific instructions concerning this uniform will be provided at orientation.
Upon graduation, you will have multiple career opportunities. Some examples of where you can work with a Veterinary Assisting certificate include:
- Veterinary hospitals and clinics
- Medical research centers
- Wild animal rescue organizations
- Feedlots and production farms
- Retail pet facilities
- Zoos
- Animal shelters
No, because of the program's number of credit hours, it falls below the threshold that makes it eligible for federal financial aid.
However, Eastern Florida State College offers numerous student scholarships, many funded through the generosity of donors to the College's EFSC Foundation Scholarships funds. The Eastern Florida Financial Aid Office is your source for help applying for scholarships, plus other aid sources, such as loans.