At PVAS We offer Three Certificate Programs

Which Program is Right for You?

Veterinary Attendant Program:

Experience is not required for this program, but it is helpful. You should have the desire to work in a small animal hospital in an entry-level position.

Veterinary Assistant Program:

Open only to individuals currently employed in an animal hospital who want to expand their knowledge and prepare themselves for RVT licensure through the alternate route, but have experience of less than two years.

Alternate Route Veterinary Technician Candidate Program:

Graduates of the Veterinary Assistant Program have the option to take the additional semester needed to become an Alternate Route Veterinary Technician Candidate. Applicants must have at least 24 months experience working full time under the direction of a California licensed veternarian. *

*All work experience must be within 5 years of the date of graduation.

Application Requirements and Process for Each Program

Veterinary Attendant Program
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and must have a High School diploma, GED, or equivalent. Applicants not residing in Orange County may have to travel to an animal hospital closer to the school to complete their externship. Applicants should have reliable transportation to and from the externship site.

The application process for the Veterinary Attendant Program is as follows:
1)    All applicants must make an appointment with the admissions officer to
        submit their application in person. A complete application must include:
a)    The written application.
b)    A legible copy of their driver’s license or state ID
c)    A legible copy of one of the following: your social security card, birth certificate
       or valid pass port. Applicants who are not US citizens must submit
       documentation of legal residency and eligibility to work in the United States.
d)    A legible copy of their high school transcript or GED. The transcript must
       show a graduation date. A transcript from a foreign country must have an
       English translation.
2)    At your application appointment you will also need to take a basic Math and
        English skills test. You must score a 60% on each section to be considered
        for the program.
3) Once your application and testing have been reviewed you will be contacted to schedule an appointment for a group interview. You must receive a score  of 70% or better on the interview session to be accepted to the program. After the interview you will be notified of your acceptance or denial to the program.

Veterinary Assistant Program
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and must have a High School diploma, GED, or equivalent.

Prerequisite:
This program is only open to individuals who are currently employed in an animal hospital.

Students who are not currently performing the required externship tasks on-the-job will most likely have to do the externship hours on a voluntary basis. Students not doing their externship at their present job may have to travel to an animal hospital closer to the school to complete their externship.

The application process for the Veterinary Assistant program is as follows: Steps 1-5 before the application deadline date:

1) All applicants must make an appointment with the admissions officer to submit their application in person. A complete application must include:
•   The written application.
•   A legible copy of their driver’s license or state ID
•   A legible copy of one of the following: your social security card, birth certificate or valid

pass port.
• A legible copy of their high school transcript or GED. The transcript must show a

graduation date.
• The PVAS Employment Verification Form signed and dated by your veterinarian.

2) All applicants must take the PVAS Placement test at their application appointment. You must receive a passing score of 70% or better on the placement test to be accepted to the program. The placement consist of combination of veterinary related questions, math questions and English skills questions.

Applicants who do not pass the PVAS Placement Test will not be able to retake this test until the next application period. It will be recommended that the applicant take the Veterinary Attendant Program and/or gain more work experience before retesting.

After the application deadline the applications are reviewed and each applicant is notified in writing of their acceptance or denial. Maximum capacity for each class is 30 students. In the event that there are more applicants than spaces in the class, the acceptance of an applicant will be based on the following criteria:
•   Placement test and entrance exam scores.
•   Amount of experience of the applicant.
•   Referral or sponsorship of a veterinarian

Late applicants or those not initially accepted may be placed on the waiting list and considered according to the above criteria contingent upon the availability of space in the classroom.

Alternate Route Veterinary Technician Candidate Program

Prerequisite: A qualified candidate must be a graduate in good standing from the Professional Veterinary Assistant School Veterinary Assistant Program and have 4,416 hours over no less than 24 months of veterinary assistant experience working under the direction of a California-licensed veterinarian and have at least 80% of their RVT task list completed.

All returning Veterinary Assistant Program Graduate Applicants are required to:

1) Submit a completed application.
2) Submit an official “RVT Task List” for each employer necessary to account for
4,416 hours over no less than 24 months of experience working under the direction
of a California licensed veterinarian and 80% of the tasks completed.
3) Re-enroll and pay the appropriate fees