Start your animal health care journey at Mat-Su College

Do you love animals of all shapes and sizes? If so, a career in veterinary medicine may be your true calling. You can kick start your animal health care studies by earning an Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) in Veterinary Assisting with help from Mat-Su College (MSC).

Veterinary Assisting is the perfect entry point to this field. Dr. Judith Montalbano says the courses “are an introduction to the various professions and can help you decide if being in the veterinary field is a good fit.” Joining the program will build your knowledge base, assist with networking and improve your chances of being accepted into the completive Veterinary Technology program.

After the two semesters of classroom work, students will have the opportunity to spend time in a local veterinary practice. According to Dr. Montalbano, students who succeed in getting their endorsement “are often offered jobs in the practices they did their practicums.” She adds that “students have found opportunities to further their careers by going into jobs at specialty clinics and zoos.”

The Veterinary Assisting classes cover:

• Knowledge of veterinary practice administration.

• Basic ability to handle and restrain large and small animals.

• Understanding of basic medical terminology.

• Introductory understanding of animal anatomy and physiology.

• Entry-level skills for laboratory procedures.

• Effective customer service and communication skills.

There are no prerequisites and no recommendations for the VA program, other than a desire to work with animals. A student who desires to learn more about the veterinary field and/or work with animals, and students exploring whether veterinary medicine as a career would also be a good fit.

For those curious about the future of veterinary assisting, specifically is it a pipeline to the Vet Tech program offered at the college, or should students take one or the other, the answer is both. Veterinary assisting courses can offer an introduction to the various professions and help a student decide if being in the veterinary field is a good fit for them.

Although it’s not a guarantee of admission to the Veterinary Technician (VT) program, it is factored into the admission process and it shows that a student has invested time into learning about veterinary medicine and has an interest in continuing further.

In the competitive admissions for VT, a student who has prior training will have a slight advantage over a student who has NO veterinary experience.

It is not the only factor though, and many applicants often present applications with extensive veterinary experience that they will have to compete with. But that should not be a deterrent, but rather a benefit to their application since it shows a strong interest in the field, determination, and persistence.

You can sign up for Veterinary Assisting classes today and start when the spring semester begins on January 13, 2025. There are no prerequisite classes or age requirements for the program.

The next application period for the Veterinary Technology program will open in spring semester of 2026, so you have plenty of time to explore and earn an OEC in Veterinary Assisting before then.

For more information about the MSC Veterinary Assisting program, call 907-745-9771or email msc.vet.tech@alaska.edu.