In this course, you will be introduced to veterinary medicine; the history, the settings, the standard practices and operational procedures, and a thorough understanding of the role of each member of the veterinary team, including the veterinarian, veterinary assistant, veterinary technician and all other animal hospital staff while learning the professional ethics of this occupation and obtaining rudimentary knowledge of veterinary laws and legalities. Effective client communication skills are also a focus of this course. The delicate subject of euthanasia is also covered in this course.

In this course, scheduling and appointments, the procedures of admitting and discharging patients and developing a complete appreciation for the importance of the human/animal bond is presented. This course covers the creation, documentation within and maintaining of medical records and certificates, inventory and restocking procedures, as well as safety measures and precautions. Professional development and writing resumes and cover letters is covered as well.

In this course, you will be instructed on the computer software system; and, other computer based processes and the automation in a veterinarian's office. The course focuses on keyboarding and computer skills and their practical applications in the veterinary medicine setting. Students will also gain an understanding of financial literacy.

In this course, the fundamentals of learning medical language (identify meaning of common prefixes, suffixes and root words) and the ability to define and use common veterinary medical terms and abbreviations related to aspects of veterinary practice and animal species and care is the focus.

In this course, the fundamentals and the fine points of animal restraint will be addressed. You will be given an in‐depth explanation of ropes and knots as they pertain to animal restraint, and be educated on the differences of various forms of physical and psychological restraint techniques, and knowledge of normal and abnormal behavior. You will be instructed on the proper placement and removal of different animals from enclosures, the handling of fractious patients, restraint methods during the physical examination, and how to properly open a patient's mouth. This course also covers the proper positioning protocols for different animals and the standard veterinary terminology for each of these positions.

In this course, the use of pharmaceuticals in a veterinary office will be addressed. Detailed information pertaining to the legal issues in drug handling, specifically the proper prescription labeling and packaging of medications, the correct way to store biological and therapeutic agents, and the efficient performance of inventory control will be included. You will be presented with information to recognize general types and groups of drugs and the difference between prescription and over‐the‐counter medications. You will also be presented the proper routes and methods of drug and vaccine administration as well as proper terminology.

The foundational study of anatomy and physiology is presented; and, the study of the anatomy and physiology of cats and dogs in particular, and many other domestic and some farm animals, comprises this course.

In this course, you will be instructed on basic knowledge of laboratory procedures. Your studies will include recording laboratory results, and identifying common external parasites. You will learn how to collect voided urine samples, how to determine the physical properties of urine, how to collect fecal samples for parasitological exams and how to prepare fecal flotation solutions. Furthermore, you will be instructed on proper specimen collection and processing for culture and sensitivity.

In this course, presentation of the medical conditions and diseases most common to cats and dogs and that result in a visit to the veterinarian is the focus. Diseases and conditions of many domestic animals and some farm animals are also presented.

In this course, you will be instructed on the fundamentals of small animal care. This course is richly informative and will provide you with the essential tools needed to properly nurture the animals in your care. The course focuses on the skills needed to identify different breeds of dogs and cats and properly care for the hospitalized patient in your charge. The essentials of patient housing, including environmental considerations, feeding and watering, nutrition, socialization and exercise will also be addressed. Preventative care such as grooming, ear cleaning, nail trimming, bathing and dipping, along with dental hygiene will be covered as well. The prevention of nosocomial infections and zoonotic diseases are also part of this course.

In this course, examination room protocol will be covered. You will learn basic examination room preparation, and patient background and physical examination procedures. Highlights of this portion of the stage will include general cleaning and disinfecting, obtaining and documenting the patient's history, which includes a history of their chief complaint, and a complete medical and environmental history. This stage also prepares you to record observations, test and monitor vital signs, and determine the patient's weight, respiratory rate, and temperature. You will be instructed on the proper techniques of radiology and ultrasound as a means of diagnoses. Positioning small and large patients, basic safety practices and techniques, and proper methods of equipment care will be explored. Also included are the methods of processing various data received from radiology and ultrasound to include quality control, film identification, and how to use automatic processing methods. You will also develop an understanding of vaccination protocols.

In this course, you will learn the skills every veterinary assistant should possess in order to best serve the animal hospital staff before, during and after a surgical procedure. This section provides detailed information on the preparation of surgical equipment and supplies, the appropriate sterilization methods for instruments and supplies, and the identification of common instruments and suture materials, both types and sizes. You will also be given explicit instruction on how to assist with the preparation of patients using aseptic techniques, how to operate and maintain autoclaves, and assist with positioning of surgical patients while maintaining proper operating room conduct and asepsis. Other critical components of this section include the understanding of operating room sanitation and care protocol, performing post‐surgical clean‐up of animals and equipment, proper storage of surgical gowns and drapes, and the identification and appropriate care of common surgical equipment and supplies along with the proper disposition of hazardous medical wastes.

The externship is an extension of classroom training. As with other program coursework, students do not receive compensation by Ross or the site during Externship. During the Externship, students will spend a minimum of 168 hours off‐site at a veterinary facility where they will receive hands‐on experience in a veterinary clinic or hospital. Students will also spend up to two (2) hours per week / 12 hours total using the student learning management system, where students focus on developing the required soft‐skills and professional development needed to be successful in the healthcare workplace. Off‐site hours and seminar hours must equal a minimum of 180 hours to satisfy the requ rements of externship. Students who need additional help with program‐specific skills will have the opportunity to request to work with a faculty member in a non‐threatening environment to advance their skill‐set. Ross Medical Education Center will identify and approve Externship sites prior to any student beginning an Externship experience at any site. Students seeking to identify an externship site addressing specific interests or other needs must do so under the direction of the Career Development Representative. A site visit and site approval must be completed by Ross Medical Education Center for any student developed Externship experience. Student performance will be evaluated by Ross Medical Education Center personnel and site supervision will be conducted in compliance with accrediting standards.