Mesa Community College is offering a certificate of completion in veterinary assisting. The program prepares students for introductory careers in veterinary medicine and animal health.

“By earning this industry certificate students will be well positioned to launch a career in veterinary medicine, working in the field while pursuing additional education,” MCC Veterinary Technology Program Director Kimberly Focht said in a release. “The job market is seeing a 14% increase in demand for veterinary assistants, equating to more than 350 openings in Maricopa alone.”

The median salary for veterinary assistants in Maricopa County is $32,725, according to Career Coach, the release states.

The 18 credit hour program, designed to be completed in two semesters beginning each fall, includes online, hybrid and in-person lab classes. In the lab, students gain hands-on training caring for the resident teaching animals including dogs, cats, rats, rabbits and goats. The program is offered at the MCC Southern and Dobson Campus and a nearby offsite location.

Those interested in pursuing a veterinary assisting certificate should register now for the classes offered in fall 2022 to ensure timely completion in May 2023. Details about this certificate and the MCC veterinary technology program are available at mesacc.edu/programs/veterinary-technology.

Mesa Community College is nationally recognized for university transfer, career and technical programs, civic engagement, service-learning and innovative approaches to education. Go to mesacc.edu.