The Santa Rosa Junior College Veterinary Technician Certificate of Achievement program is designed to prepare students for Veterinary Technician careers with veterinarians and other professionals in the animal health care services.
The Veterinary Technician program equips students with the knowledge and introduces students to the procedures and skills necessary in the companion animal veterinary industry today. The Veterinary Technician Certificate curriculum satisfies students the state mandated academic knowledge and semester units requirements to pursue the Category 4 (Alternate Route Category) to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT).
Upon completion of this certificate's 23-semester unit requirement AND 24 months (4416 hours) of outside practical experience working for a California licensed veterinarian, students satisfy the requirements to sit for the RVT examination in the State of California. The requirements for both coursework and practical experience must be completed within five years prior to the examination application date for registration as a Registered Veterinary Technician.
This part-time academic program is designed to be completed while the student is employed in a veterinary hospital. While the ideal student is already working as a Veterinary Assistant when they start this program, many students begin this program without any previous experience and find employment after completing their first few courses. Students typically complete this program over 3 or 4 semesters.
Pets have become an increasingly popular component of households across the country, and they play a major role in many people's lives. The corresponding rise in demand for pet care combined with the growing population in California has created a need for more Registered Veterinary Technicians, and Santa Rosa Junior College's Veterinary Technician Certificate Program will help meet this demand. Additionally, Veterinary Technicians are also employed in settings such as biomedical facilities, diagnostic laboratories, wildlife facilities, humane societies, animal control facilities, drug or food manufacturing companies, and food safety inspection facilities. Furthermore, demand for these workers will stem from the desire to replace veterinary assistants with more highly skilled technicians in animal clinics and hospitals, shelters, kennels, and humane societies.
The employment outlook for Registered Veterinary Technician’s is excellent. The number of positions is anticipated to grow by at least 40% at the local, state and national level over the next decade according to local, state (EDD) and federal (BLS) agencies. The current deficit of RVTs combined with the typical retirement rates, lack of any other educational option in a 5 county area, and general sector growth are anticipated to maintain a strong demand for RVTs in the foreseeable future.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the certificate students will be able to:
- Be qualified to sit for the RVT exam in the State of California through the “Alternate Route” so long as students also complete their state mandated clinical experience hours;
- Demonstrate competency in the necessary knowledge required for common job tasks in a small animal veterinary hospital context; and
- Understand the directions from a veterinarian and discuss information to clients regarding common diseases, protocols and procedures in a small animal veterinary hospital context.
Recommended Course Sequence
For more information, see the SRJC Veterinary Technician Program website and Frequently Asked Questions.