Do you love learning about and caring for animals? Learn more about animals, animal welfare, and how to become a veterinarian through 4-H club activities. Then, if you are interested in becoming a veterinary assistant, you can go through a veterinary assistant preparatory training to prepare for a future career as a vet tech.
If you are interested in a career as a veterinarian, start with your veterinary assistant certificate! To receive your veterinary assistant certificate through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Veterinary Medicine, you must complete 100 lessons and 500 hours of apprenticeship. Graduates of this program are eligible to take the exam for certification through the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA).
A few things you will learn and do in this project are:
- Animal nutrition
- Handling and restraining animals
- Helping with animal examinations and treatments
- Infectious diseases of animals
- Non-infectious diseases
- Aiding with surgery
You will also have an opportunity to attend a 4-H veterinary science camp.
Curriculum:
Print & eBooks: available through the Texas A&M AgriLife Bookstore
- Veterinary Science: Preparatory Training for the Veterinary Assistant by Floron C. Faries Jr., (contains 75 core lessons and 25 clinical lessons)
- One Health Science & Technology by Heather L. Simmons (contains 25 One Health lessons)
- Laboratory Science & Technology by Heather L. Simmons (contains 25 laboratory science lessons)
- Teacher keys are available for each book
Texas 4-H Roundup Veterinary Science Skill-a-thon
This contest tests your veterinary knowledge and skills you have learned throughout the project. In order to apply you need to be involved with a Texas 4-H club and enrolled in a structured veterinary science program.