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What you get:

  • Full AVMA-CVTEA accreditation
  • Mobile-friendly access for anytime, anywhere learning
  • Access to dedicated and award-winning faculty
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Mission Veterinary Partners (MVP) has partnered with Penn Foster to offer a career-focused program to our employees at a discounted rate! We believe in the future of our employees and are sponsoring 100% of the program cost for accepted students.

Through this partnership, you can now apply to enroll in the AVMA-CVTEA accredited veterinary technician program to increase your skills, earn your associate degree, and advance your career while working at MVP. 

Offered online, Penn Foster's veterinary technician program gives you the flexibility to increase your skills when and where you want, at a pace that's right for you. You'll also receive support from a dedicated Veterinary Academy faculty of practitioners, technicians, and industry experts. Apply today!

Veterinary Technician Associate Degree

Semester 1

In your first semester of the veterinary technician program, you will be introduced to biology and animal anatomy and physiology.

Semester Details
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Orientation to Veterinary Technology
  • Discover how to be successful in your program, and review the types of veterinary practices, the veterinary health-care team, and veterinary practice design
Introduction to Veterinary Technology
  • Learn about animal behavior, handling and restraint, patient history, and physical exams
Information Literacy
  • Master how to find and use information
Computer Applications
  • Build your computer skills, specifically your Microsoft® Office skillset, through a combination of reading and hands-on practice
Introduction to Biology
  • Become acquainted with the origin of life and the relationships between all living things
Animal Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2
  • Explore the world of structures and function of the animal body with emphasis on the similarities and differences of domestic animals and learn about body organization and metabolism of cells, tissues, and organ systems

Total Credits: 18

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Semester 2

Your second semester includes courses on mathematics, medical nursing, and pharmacology. You will also participate in your first clinical externship.

Semester Details
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English Composition
  • Get the skills and techniques you need to develop, draft, and revise college-level essays
Veterinary Office Management and Skill with People
  • Develop personnel management, customer relations, and leadership skills
Mathematical Applications
  • Establish a solid foundation performing basic math operations, writing and solving business-related equations, determining trade and cash discounts, and preparing a bank reconciliation statement
Medical Nursing for Veterinary Technician
  • Expand your knowledge of general nursing care including learning how to deliver emergency care and administering wound care
Medical Mathematics
  • Learn medical math functions such as calculating IV flow rates and performing dosage calculations
Pharmacology for Veterinary Technicians
  • Develop the essential framework of understanding around the use of drugs, dosages, and prescriptions in veterinary medicine
Clinical Externship 1
  • Experience the work of a veterinary technician under the supervision of veterinarian. Gain a hands-on experience and apply what you've learned in your first two semesters. This is the first of two clinical externships at a veterinary hospital

Total Credits: 22

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Semester 3

In your third semester, you'll focus your studies on clinical pathology, anesthesia, and clinical parasitology.

Semester Details
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Clinical Pathology 1 and 2
  • Understand the diagnosis and prevention of disease as well as the theories behind the various tests you'll perform
Anesthesia for Veterinary Technicians
  • Learn how to care for the surgical patient before, during, and after surgery
Surgical Nursing for Veterinary Technicians
  • Establish an understanding of the surgical environment and the equipment involved
Clinical Parasitology for Veterinary Technicians
  • Review the science that studies the parasites of animals
Arts and Humanities Elective
  • Pick between Art Appreciation and Music Appreciation as your arts and humanities elective course

Total Credits: 18

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Semester 4

Your fourth and final semester of the veterinary technician program consists of courses on radiography, animal medicine, and animal nutrition and reproduction. You will also complete your second externship and prepare for the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE).

Semester Details
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Radiography for Veterinary Technicians
  • Review how x-ray radiation can be a useful tool for the diagnosis of injury and disease
Small and Large Animal Medicine
  • Study the interrelation between disease, pathology, and immunology
Essentials of Psychology
  • Learn about the relationship between biology and behavior
Animal Nutrition, Reproduction, Genetics, and Aging
  • Pinpoint the nutritional needs of animals
Laboratory Animal Medicine and Nursing
  • Review animal welfare regulations and understand biomedical research and the ethical considerations centering on the use of laboratory animals 
Clinical Externship 2
  • Experience the work of a veterinary technician under the supervision of a veterinarian but this time in a mixed-animal practice. Be a part of the working veterinary team and practice the knowledge and skills acquired across all four semesters
Veterinary Technician National Examination Review
  • Spend the semester preparing for the VTNE. Credentialing varies from state to state but in approximately 40 states, the VTNE is administered as a means of credentialing

Total Credits: 20

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What is Penn Foster?

Founded in 1890, Penn Foster was one of the first pioneers of distance learning. With more than 30,000 graduates each year across the United States, Penn Foster’s online and blended learning programs are self-paced and personalized. Our affordable programs give students the flexibility to learn around their own schedules, with 24/7 access to a supportive online community of students and faculty. 

Is Penn Foster College accredited?

Penn Foster College's Vet Tech Associate Degree program is fully accredited by the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) as a program for educating veterinary technicians. This accreditation "represents the highest standard of achievement for veterinary medical education in the United States. Institutions that earn accreditation confirm their commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review."

Additionally, Penn Foster College is nationally accredited. This form of accreditation means that Penn Foster has met the high standards required by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) in Washington, D.C. The DEAC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

Can you tell me more about the Penn Foster Veterinary Technician Program?

The Penn Foster Veterinary Technician Program is both exciting and challenging. It is lots of hard work and also lots of fun, as you learn the fundamentals of becoming a great veterinary technician. The program is four semesters long and graduates can sit for the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE). Both semesters two and four include a clinical externship during which the student gains hands-on experience applying what they’ve learned in a veterinary hospital under the supervision of a veterinarian.

How do Penn Foster Graduates do on the VTNE?

Penn Foster Graduates have over a 83% pass rate on the VTNE.

How much does it cost for me to participate in the Veterinary Technician Program?

For students who are accepted into the Veterinary Technician Program, MVP will cover 100% of the program cost.

How does the online program work?

After enrollment you will receive an email with instructions to create your login credentials to access your account. This will give you access to all your online materials.  Assessments are taken through the student portal and other information is available there. If you need to contact your instructors for academic help or have other questions, use the “Contact Us” feature from the student portal.

How do I access the courses?

All course content will be delivered through Penn Foster's Student Portal. All students will have access to their course content upon login into the Portal for the first time. Once logged in, click on “Program and Courses” in the left navigation bar to see the courses in your program. You can also get started directly from your dashboard by clicking “Start” on your home dashboard.

Will there be instructors to help me, and how do I contact them?

Yes, instructors are available over the phone (1-888-427-1000) Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 6:00pm, Eastern Time. They are also available through email by clicking on the “Contact Us” button in the Student Portal and typically respond within 24 hours. You can even contact instructors on the Penn Foster Community by sending a message or joining a discussion group.

What resources are available to me?

You have access to Penn Foster’s teachers and learning materials through your student portal. We also strongly encourage students to join the Penn Foster Community. There is lots of information about proctor exams and practicums for Vet Tech students. It is also a great place to connect with other students.