Veterinary Assistant
The Veterinary Assistant Training is a comprehensive program that consists of four modules and an internship totaling 150-hours of training starting in September each year. Each module of the program is completed at the Rockville Campus on Fridays throughout the year and must be taken in the correct sequence. At the end of the training, and with internship hours completed, you would receive a certificate of completion for the program.
Students interested in joining the Veterinary Assistant Program will follow these steps below in order to join and complete the program.
The process to join the next cohort of the Veterinary Assistant Program is happening now! Interested students will start the program by completing an assessment exam during the Summer 2025 semester. Details are available below.
The final assessment for Summer 2025 is scheduled for July 31, 2025.
Complete registration and payment for a Summer 2025 semester exam date.
This is the first step to enter the program where you register and pay for one of the assessment dates offered during the summer semester. Questions on the assessment will evaluate reading comprehension, at a 9th grade reading level, and math, at a basic algebra level.
In order to register and attend the next step of the process, mandatory orientation, students must register for and complete the assessment exam during one of the dates listed below.
Registration for the assessment dates is available now.
CRN# 42128
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Cost: $0 + $40 fee = $40*
CRN# 12586
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
1-2 p.m.
Cost: $0 + $40 fee = $40*
CRN# 12587
Thursday, July 31, 2025
6-7 p.m.
Cost: $0 + $40 fee = $40*
Non-Maryland Residents will pay an additional out of state fee of $30.
Want to register online? View WDCE Web Registration.
If you need assistance registering, please call our Student Services at 240-567-5188.
Pass the assessment to attend the free, mandatory orientation.
To attend the mandatory orientation session, you must have already completed the required assessment exam for the veterinary assistant program.
This session reviews all aspects of the Veterinary Assistant Program including but not limited to: schedule, expectations, student and faculty responsibilities, registration and payment, and more. After the orientation session, students would receive a ticket to register for Module One of the Veterinary Assistant Program.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Available to register for after completing and passing the assessment exam.
Thursday, August 7, 2025
6-8 p.m.
Available to register for after completing and passing the assessment exam.
This orientation session is free to those that are able to register.
Bring your registration ticket back in-person to register for module one.
After orientation, students receive a registration ticket to register for the first module in the program. Students in orientation are told the date to return in-person to register for the first module that begins in September. Payment for the first module is due when the student registers.
Only students with registration tickets will be eligible to register for the first module.
Students can only register for one module at a time. For each subsequent module (2-4), students eligible to move on to the next course will receive an email from a member of the program with directions for moving forward and how to register.
Students will complete four modules in the required order:
- Veterinary Assistant Training I: Outpatient Care
- Veterinary Assistant Training II: Diagnostic and Pharmacy
- Veterinary Assistant Training III: Patient Care and Treatment
- Veterinary Assistant Training IV: Anesthesia, Surgery, and Emergency Care
The courses begin in September and end approximately in May.
Hands-on experience at a vet hospital or clinic.
Students may work with a local veterinary office or clinic and complete a clinical book. Details about this process are discussed in the orientation session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Veterinary Assistant program is a certificate program where students complete 150 hours of training between the coursework and internship.
A Vet Tech program is a degree program with a multi-year commitment and is not currently offered at Montgomery College.
Modules for the program begin in September and end approximate in May.
In terms of investment/cost, the combined approximate price for all four modules for the 2024-2025 academic year is $2,350 for Maryland Residents. Non-Maryland residents would pay an additional out-of-state fee.
Classes are held in-person at the Campus Center (CC) on the Rockville Campus on Fridays. Students may choose between an afternoon session or an evening session, based on availability.
Yes, there a required textbook and we provide it to you during the first module.
Unfortunately, no, there is no study guide provided. This is a computer based assessment and questions are randomized. The questions you will see on the assessment focus on assessing reading comprehension and math, at a basic algebra level.
Unfortunately, no, you must complete the assessment exam prior attending orientation. There are 3 test dates through the summer that you can register for and can be viewed above. Dates for the upcoming summer semester will be posted by April of that given year.
We want you to be best prepared for the upcoming program and commitment.
At orientation, you receive information about the entire program and the expectations of completing the program. You will also receive a registration ticket to come and register for Module 1 of the program.
If you do not have a registration ticket, you cannot register for Module 1.
When you attend the mandatory orientation, you are told of the date to return to the Gaithersburg Business Training Center with your registration ticket.*
*Students that attend orientation receive a registration ticket. Students without registration tickets cannot register for module 1.
Contact Natalie Martinez, Disability Support Services Counselor for WDCE at Natalie.Martinez@montgomerycollege.edu or call 240-567-4188. Requests should be made at least three weeks prior to the start of class to ensure arrangements are made prior to the classes.