The Certified Veterinary Office Assistant (CVOA) program at Saint Joseph’s College prepares students to balance exceptional customer service with a range of administrative duties. You’ll master the skills required to be successful in a variety of animal medical practice settings and you’ll graduate as a qualified professional.

Upon completion of this course, students will be eligible to sit for their CVOA national certification. The certification is through the National Career Certification Board (NCCB).

The Certified Veterinary Office Assistant (CVOA) program at Saint Joseph’s College offers optional external clinical hours at partner facilities for hands-on training. Students can complete their clinical experience at:

• Rensselaer Pet Care’s Boarding, Grooming, and Training

• Feline Community Network in Hobart

For students using the Indiana Career Scholarship Account (CSA), 75 clinical hours are required to successfully complete the CVOA program.

If you have a compassionate attitude and are a natural communicator, you may already be well-suited for a career as a Veterinary Office Assistant.

A Veterinary Office Assistant makes the first interaction in an animal care office. They spend a great deal of time interacting with clients and relaying information to the veterinarian and vet technicians. They promote a peaceful, positive environment for the animals and their owners and leave an everlasting impression. They also have the ability to provide comfort during difficult or heartbreaking situations.

As a Veterinary Office Assistant, multitasking is key. You’ll be helping the office run smoothly while also fostering client relationships and relaying information to the veterinary care team.

You will be the first point of contact for every client that visits the animal clinic. It is imperative you create a welcoming, friendly environment so superb customer service is required. Greeting all clients with a smile and conversing with a friendly tone is of the upmost importance.

Typical administrative tasks include scheduling appointments, preparing invoices, processing payments, and maintaining records. You may be asked to help prepare prescriptions or provide home-care instructions to pet owners. Many animal clinics also offer retail items such as food and toys which you may be asked to sell and manage inventory for.

At times, you may need to control emotional expressions and remain poised and focused during difficult situations. Showing compassion during times of bad news or outcomes including euthanasia of companion animals.

At Saint Joseph’s College, we understand you have a lot on your plate, that’s why we offer the Veterinary Office Assistant class in an online setting. We provide flexibility through online lectures to accommodate your busy schedule while still having the accountability of meeting with your classmates.

Online lectures will be taught synchronously. Synchronous instruction is real-time instruction that requires students to attend online lectures at scheduled times.

Earning a Veterinary Office Assistant certificate can be a great introduction into the veterinary field. You can find great careers at private animal clinics, veterinary hospitals, humane societies, animal shelters and kennels.

Educational opportunities to advance your career are abundant. You can stack your certifications by also enrolling in our veterinary assistant program. This will give you an edge during your job search as you’ll be trained in both the front office and examinations that occur in the back office.