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What you get:

  • Discounts on leading veterinary training and degree programs
  • Mobile-friendly access for anytime, anywhere learning
  • Access to dedicated and award-winning faculty

VCA has partnered with Penn Foster to offer career-focused programs to our employees at discounted rates! Through this partnership, you can now enroll in a program below to increase your skills, earn a credential, and advance your veterinary career while working at VCA. Offered online, Penn Foster’s programs allow you to train at home or on the go and receive support from our dedicated Veterinary Academy faculty of practitioners, technicians, and industry experts.

Whether you’re looking to become a Credentialed Veterinary Technician, pass the CVPM exam, or earn your High School Diploma, Penn Foster has an option for you. Enroll today!

Veterinary Academy Programs

Veterinary Technician Associate Degree

Penn Foster College’s Veterinary Technician Associate Degree is AVMA-CVTEA accredited and can help you gain the skills you need on your pathway to becoming a licensed veterinary technician. In this program, you'll study a wide range of topics and gain real-world vet technician experience during the clinical externship portions of the program. For additional program flexibility, you will also have the ability to participate in digital proctored exams. Graduates of the veterinary technician program will be eligible to take the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) in order to be credentialed as a licensed veterinary technician.

Course Details

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective written and interpersonal communication skills
  • Demonstrate effective quantitative skills
  • Demonstrate computer and information literacy
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the liberal arts, natural sciences, and social sciences
    • Office and Hospital Procedures, Client Relations, and Communication
      • Participate in facility management utilizing traditional and electronic media and appropriate medical terminology and abbreviations
      • Communicate in a professional manner in all formats—written, oral, non-verbal, and electronic
        Follow and uphold applicable laws and the veterinary technology profession's ethical codes to provide high quality care to patients.
    • Pharmacy and Pharmacology
      • Safely and effectively administer prescribed drugs to patients.
      • Accurately dispense and explain prescribed drugs to clients
    • Nursing
      • Demonstrate and perform patient assessment techniques in a variety of animal species
      • Understand and demonstrate husbandry, nutrition, therapeutic and dentistry techniques appropriate to various animal species.
    • Anesthesia
      • Safely and effectively manage and maintain patients in all phases of anesthesia
      • Safely and effectively select, utilize and maintain anesthetic delivery and monitoring instruments and equipment
    • Surgical Nursing
      • Understand and integrate all aspects of patient management for common surgical procedures in a variety of animal species
      • Understand and provide the appropriate instruments, supplies and environment to maintain asepsis during surgical procedures
    • Laboratory Procedures
      • Properly package, handle and store specimens for laboratory analysis
      • Properly carry out analysis of laboratory specimens
    • Imaging
      • Safely and effectively produce diagnostic radiographic and non-radiographic images
    • Laboratory Animal Procedures
      • Safely and effectively handle common laboratory animals used in animal research
    • Avian, Exotic, Small Mammals and Fish Procedures
      • Understand the approach to providing safe and effective care for birds, reptiles, amphibians, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, and ferrets

Tuition: $945 per semester

Veterinary Technology Bachelor of Applied Science Degree

The Veterinary Technology Bachelor of Applied Science Degree is perfect if you are looking to accelerate your career in the veterinary technology or veterinary nursing field. The AVMA-CVTEA fully accredited completion program is specifically designed for students who have already earned an AVMA-accredited associate degree. This program concludes with a Veterinary Technology Capstone Course in which you'll have the opportunity to apply your knowledge in either the Veterinary Practice Management or Veterinary Technician Specialist tracks.

Course Details

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective written communication and interpersonal skills
  • Display a high level of analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
  • Demonstrate an understanding of and integrate all aspects of patient surgical management in a variety of animal species 
  • Possess an understanding of a Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS) or of a Certified Practice Manager (CVPM)
  • Exhibit an understanding of leadership and management skills as a manager of a veterinary practice or a research/corporate institution 

Advanced Pharmacology

  • Drug identification and dosage calculation methods
  • Drug administration benefit and side effect explanations
Veterinary Practice Management
  • Appropriate design, technology, diagnostic laboratory, and marketing strategies
  • Compassionate communication methods
Advanced Anesthesia and Nursing
  • Pre-anesthetic workup protocol, dosage calculation, and anesthesia preparation strategies
  • Anesthesia communications including describing anesthesia monitoring, recovery, and complications
  • Anesthesia and perioperative surgical care plan ideas 
Preventative Healthcare
  • Preventative healthcare and life stage guidelines
  • Integrative medicine fundamentals
  • Preventative and integrative medicine practices for birds, small mammals, and horses
Critical Care
  • Key wound management techniques
  • Emergencies, traumas, and CPR best practices including the care and nursing of urologic, reproductive, ocular, and neurologic emergencies
Leadership Methods
  • Planning, leading, organizing, motivating, and controlling management techniques
  • Effective team development strategies
Financial and Marketing Strategies
  • Basic financial procedures including analyzing transactions that affect current assets, interpreting financial statements, and analyzing cost-volume-profit relationships
  • Basic marketing tactics including analyzing marketing plans and performing SWOT and STP analyses

Tuition: $1,520 per semester

Veterinary Assistant Career Diploma

Take the first step in your veterinary career with the NAVTA-approved Veterinary Assistant program from Penn Foster Career School. Penn Foster’s program is 1 of only 3 online Veterinary Assistant Programs approved by the NAVTA! In this program, learn important on-the-job skills like handling and restraint, providing emergency first aid to animals, using veterinary terminology, and more.

Course Details

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective written and interpersonal communication skills
  • Demonstrate a high level of inquiry, analytical, and problem-solving skills
  • Demonstrate effective quantitative skills
  • Demonstrate computer and information literacy skills
  • Office and Hospital Procedures:
    • Front Desk procedures, including basic veterinary medical record keeping procedures and basic invoicing skills
    • Demonstrate knowledge of basic cleaning techniques of animal kennels and bedding, examination rooms, hospital facilities, and surgical suites
  • Communication and Client Relations:
    • Develop effective client communication skills
    • Write business letters and professional electronic communication with clients
    • Understand ethical conduct in relationship to the day to day operations of a vet hospital
    • Describe the roles and responsibilities of each member of the veterinary health team and the important part that each plays in the delivery of excellent care
    • Professional Conduct: Understand the human-animal bond, Demonstrate professional and appropriate appearance and language in the workplace
  • Pharmacy and Pharmacology:
    • Legal Issues: Recognize legal issues involving drugs in the workplace, recognize general types and groups of drugs and demonstrate proper terminology
    • Filling medications and inventory control: Label and package dispensed drugs correctly, Store, safely handle and dispose of biological and therapeutic agents, pesticides, and hazardous waste
    • Vaccinations: Reconstitute vaccines and be familiar with proper protocols
  • Examination Room Procedures:
    • Restrain patients: small animals, restrain birds. rabbits, pocket pets, and exotics, large animals
    • Basic Procedures: Determine and record temperature, pulse, respiration, body condition score, and weight of patients
    • Express anal sacs using the external method, Identify external parasites: mites, lice, fleas, and ticks, Recognize AKC dog breeds and CFA cat breeds,
  • Small Animal Nursing (Large Animal Nursing--Optional):
    • Safety Concerns: Demonstrate knowledge of basic normal and abnormal animal behavior, Utilize patient & personnel safety measures
    • Animal Care: Provide routine record-keeping, and observation of hospitalized patients, i.e. stress importance of notations made when cleaning and feeding, Demonstrate a basic understanding of common diseases and medical conditions,
    • Monitor/restrain patients for fluid therapy and record observations, Perform hand pilling (dog, cat), Demonstrate understanding of treatment plan
  • Surgical Preparation and Assisting:
    • Assist in performing surgical preparations
    • Facility and Equipment Cleanliness
    • Have knowledge of: Surgical equipment, Surgical room and prep area, Instrument cleaning and care, Proper disposal of hazardous medical wastes
  • Laboratory Procedures:
    • Assistance in the laboratory
    • Record Keeping: Ensure all laboratory results are accurately recorded, Stock laboratory supplies, File laboratory reports
  • Radiology and Ultrasound Imaging:
    • Follow recommended safety measures, Assist the veterinarian and/or the veterinary technician in the completion of diagnostic radiographs and ultrasound

Tuition: $825

Vet Practice Management Undergraduate Certificate

Working as a Veterinary Practice Manager is ideal for those who want to work in an animal care setting, but would prefer an administrative or managerial role rather than a clinical role. The Penn Foster Veterinary Practice Management Certificate program fulfills the formal education requirement to sit for the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) exam, offered by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA). For additional program flexibility, you will also have the ability to participate in Penn Foster’s digital proctored exams.

Course Details

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Identify individual life goals and steps needed to fulfill them, similarities between personal financial goals and business goals, the basics of setting up a budget and starting up and maintaining a business
  • Discuss both the business environment and a manager’s role in decision making, planning, organizing, leading, controlling, and developing an ethical perspective
  • Comprehend the management of the facility's finances, such as patient fees and billing
  • Discover the importance of understanding and implementing laws and requirements in a veterinary practice.
  • Examine how to provide exceptional customer service to their clients while helping the veterinary practice to grow financially
  • Describe the human resources function as it relates to the business environment
  • Examine the factors affecting marketing plans to promote the business’s products or services through an understanding of marketing principles, consumer buying habits, and advertising strategies
  • Discover the importance and methods of marketing and promotion for a veterinary practice
  • Summarize the ethical and legal standards in the business environment
  • Analyze relevant business ethics issues when confronted with a new decision situation in a veterinary practice

Tuition: $985

Veterinary Team Telehealth Career Certificate

This first-of-its-kind online program in veterinary team telehealth is designed to expand the skill sets of veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, and CSRs, enabling them to take on responsibilities for in-demand telehealth services for clients. This program is RACE-approved for online non-medical credit!

COURSE DETAILS

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Apply knowledge of veterinary telehealth principles and legal regulations to effectively and professionally address client concerns
  • Analyze client-provided information to appropriately teletriage potential veterinary emergencies and common health concerns
  • Develop and adhere to veterinary telehealth standard operating procedures and workflows
  • Investigate telehealth regulations state by state and what implications there are for practicing telehealth across state lines
  • Modify their communication strategies based on the unique challenges that can arise when communicating with veterinary clients via telecommunication

Tuition: $800

Dog Obedience Trainer/Instructor Career Diploma

The Dog Obedience Trainer program is a great fit for animal lovers who want to become dog trainers, professionals already working in the animal or veterinary field, or pet owners who want to learn how to better train their own dogs. Students will cover a wide range of topics, including canine biology and behavior, proper communication with dog owners, projects on the business of dog training, nutrition and anatomy, and more.

Course Details

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Identify the senses of a canine and know how they function, and define the learning theory and classical and operant conditioning
  • Describe common behavior problems and strategies for prevention and treatment, identify the pros and cons of punishment versus reinforcement, as well as the signals and displays that dogs use to communicate with each other and with humans
  • Apply knowledge of behavior problems by recommending behavior modification plans for the dogs in the three given scenarios
  • Define dog testing, state the functions of the American Kennel Club, and list its seven major groups of dog breeds
  • Apply knowledge of dog selection by selecting an appropriate breed for the persons in the case studies as well as selecting an inappropriate breed
  • Identify the various types of canine training, know the commands to teach dogs basic obedience, and recognize types of dog-training equipment
  • Apply knowledge of agility training by examining agility course diagrams and indicating correct and incorrect sequences and identifying handling techniques
  • Identify what dog tricks are and know how to use them, describe what play is and why it's important for a domesticated dog, as well as name recreational activities involving dogs
  • Name the exercises required for classes of competition and describe the ways dogs are used to assist humans
  • Describe basic nutrition, reproductive function, and caring for a dog in old age, as well as know first-aid procedures for shock and wounds
  • Outline a dog training business plan, describe effective advertising and marketing strategies, and describe how canine day care centers are run
  • Apply knowledge of the dog training business by writing an evaluation of the demographics as they pertain to starting a dog training business and providing information necessary to develop a business plan

Tuition: $725

Pet and Dog Grooming Career Certificate

With Penn Foster Career School’s Pet Grooming training, you can further prepare yourself for a career working with and handling animals at Banfield. In this Pet Grooming program, you can learn how to groom and handle all breeds of dogs and cats. You'll develop an understanding of dog and cat anatomy, personalities, behavior, techniques and procedures for grooming various breeds, and more.

COURSE DETAILS

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Identify the duties of a pet groomer and how to establish a grooming business
  • Know the historical background of the dog and cat and identify the anatomy of the dog and cat
  • Identify grooming hand tools and describe their uses and describe how to bathe, dry, and prepare a dog for grooming
  • Recognize how to groom dogs from the Terrier group, non-sporting group, and toy group
  • Recognize how to groom dogs from the sporting group, herding group, hound group, and working group
  • Recognize how to groom poodles, mixed breeds and drop-coat styles, and puppies
  • Recognize the basic personalities of different dogs and understand how to groom dogs who have behavior problems
  • Identify the characteristics common to cats' personality types and understand how to properly handle each type of cat
  • Know the basics of bookkeeping, advertising, customer service, and setting pricing and fees to start a pet grooming business

Tuition: $500

General Education

Business Management Bachelor’s Degree

Our Business Management Bachelor's Degree program offers foundational concepts used on a daily basis in entry-level management positions. Learn skills such as marketing, human resources, and finance that are transferable across various industries. Study on your own schedule and own pace. With Penn Foster College, your goal of earning college credits and a full degree is within reach.

Course Details

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective written and interpersonal communication skills
  • Demonstrate a high level of inquiry, analytical, and problem-solving skills
  • Demonstrate effective quantitative skills
  • Demonstrate computer and information literacy
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the liberal arts, natural sciences, and social sciences
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the principles and processes involved in the functional areas and the need for collaboration among the different functions
  • Discuss the management function and application to the business organization and develop problem solving skills needed for management
  • Discuss the steps of the accounting cycle and utilize financial document information as a management tool to plan, and track the financial status of a business
  • Discuss the factors affecting marketing plans to promote the business’s products or services through an understanding of marketing principles, consumer buying habits, and advertising strategies
  • Discuss and apply ethical and legal standards to the business environment
  • Demonstrate an understanding of economic and financial markets and apply financial and economic principles to business decisions
  • Discuss the human resources function as it relates to the business environment
  • Analyze and evaluate the main structural features of a business or industry and develop strategies to position a firm attractively in the business environment
  • Discuss the theories, influences, cultural forces, labor factors and methods of successfully entering international markets
  • Discuss the scientific method and approach to a variety of research methods likely to be useful to supporting successful decision making in business

Tuition: $962 per semester

Human Resources Management Associates Degree

Human Resource Managers are at the heart of many companies — hiring and motivating employees. This program can help you learn how to handle the various types of challenges that HR professionals are faced with in every industry by learning fundamental and transferable concepts in business, law, management, and accounting.

Course Details

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective written and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Demonstrate a high level of inquiry, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
  • Demonstrate effective quantitative skills.
  • Demonstrate computer and information literacy.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the liberal arts, natural sciences, and social sciences.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the principles and processes involved in the functional areas and the need for collaboration among the different functions.
  • Discuss the management function and its application to the business organization.
  • Understand the steps of the accounting cycle and utilize financial document information as a management planning tool.
  • Discuss and apply ethical and legal standards to the business environment.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of economics and the business economy.
  • Discuss the fundamentals of human resources as they relate to the business environment.
  • Describe the basic components, development, implementation, and maintenance of a total compensation package.
  • Describe the legally required social insurance programs for employees in the United States, the difference between group and individual insurance, and the requirements for qualified pension plans.
  • Discuss the interaction between organized labor unions and company management pertaining to rights and responsibilities, negotiations, and collective bargaining.
  • Explain accepted theories regarding training and the management of the training function in organizations; identify successful and unsuccessful training practices.
  •  

Tuition: $1,196 per semester

Pharmacy Technician Professional Career Diploma

Our Pharmacy Technician classes include interactive and engaging exercises with hands-on practical labs and real-world simulations that will help you master your coursework. You'll cover topics such as pharmacology, sterile and non-sterile compounding, pharmacy management, and more to help you prepare to sit for the following pharmacy technician certification exams: Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). At the end of your pharmacy tech program, you’ll have the opportunity to gain valuable, real-world experience at a CVS/pharmacy or Walgreens near you as part of our required hands-on training externship.

Course Details

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge and skills in areas of science relevant to the pharmacy technician’s role, including anatomy/physiology and pharmacology
  • Compare and contrast the roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in ensuring pharmacy department compliance with professional standards and relevant legal, regulatory, formulary, contractual, and safety requirements
  • Describe the steps, skills, and knowledge needed to prepare medications requiring compounding of sterile products, chemotherapy/hazardous products, and nonsterile products
  • Apply standard procedures used when compounding nonsterile products
  • Explain patient - and medication-safety practices in all aspects of the pharmacy technician’s roles
  • Demonstrate knowledge of quality assurance practices for pharmaceuticals, durable and nondurable medical equipment, devices, and supplies
  • Apply the steps in the medication order entry and fill process and interpret medication orders
  • Demonstrate knowledge of accepted procedures in purchasing pharmaceuticals, devices, and supplies
  • Describe the steps needed to initiate, verify, and assist in the adjudication of billing for pharmacy services and goods, and collecting payment for these services
  • Describe the use of current technology in the healthcare environment to ensure the safety and accuracy of medication dispensing
  • Explain the skills and strategies needed for professional and appropriate personal behavior and interpersonal communication
  •  

Tuition: $800 per semester

Penn Foster High School

High School Diploma

Earn your high school diploma online with Penn Foster High School and better position yourself for an exciting and rewarding career! Penn Foster’s online high school curriculum is a total of 21.5 credits, including standard general education requirements, such as English and math courses. Each course is broken down into small mobile-friendly lessons to help you on your journey toward earning your high school diploma online.

Course Details

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate 21st century skills such as the ability to use technology to complete learning tasks and to communicate effectively
  • Use critical thinking and reasoning skills to complete learning tasks in English Language Arts courses
  • Use declarative knowledge and demonstrate understanding to complete learning tasks in English Language Art courses
  • Use critical thinking and reasoning skills to complete learning tasks in science courses
  • Use declarative knowledge and demonstrate understanding to complete learning tasks in science courses
  • Use critical thinking and reasoning skills to complete learning tasks in math courses
  • Use declarative knowledge and demonstrate understanding to complete learning tasks in math courses
  • Use critical thinking and reasoning skills to complete learning tasks in social studies courses
  • Use declarative knowledge and demonstrate understanding to complete learning tasks in social studies courses
  • Apply fundamental mathematical skills to solve real world problems
  • Utilize writing skills to complete writing assessments
  • Demonstrate the ability to complete entry level lessons from Penn Foster career modules, academic level electives, or general level electives

Tuition: $950

Is Penn Foster College accredited?

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.

 

Are the Veterinary Academy programs accredited?

Penn Foster College's Veterinary Technician Associate Degree and Veterinary Technology Bachelor of Applied Science programs are 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 and technologists. 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."

The Veterinary Assistant Career Diploma is approved by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). It is one of only three online Veterinary Assistant programs with this approval.

The Veterinary Practice Management Undergraduate Certificate program is applicable toward the formal education requirement for the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) program offered by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA). The CVPM designation is recognized by many veterinary practice leaders as the highest level of credential for professional veterinary managers and is often preferred or required when applying for a veterinary manager position.

 

Are there online classes?

There are no physical classrooms, since Penn Foster is an online and self-paced school. However, there are some programs that have webinars that students must log into and attend.

 

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 and you will receive your hardcopy books in the mail in 5-7 business days if you did not choose the eBooks option. You will be contacted by a Penn Foster Student Success Coach to help get you started with the program. 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.

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. It is a great place to connect with other students.

 

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. 

 

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 Veterinary Technician graduates do on the VTNE?

Penn Foster Graduates have a 80% pass rate on the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE).