Hands On Lab Training
Practice exam room prep, animal intake, restraint, and post surgery monitoring in our campus labs, plus how to give medications and immunizations.
Become a Veterinary Assistant in Bakersfield, CA
Turn your love of animals into a career. Earn your Veterinary Assistant Certificate in as few as 35 weeks with an externship included.
Get Started
Find out how to get started at High Desert Medical College. An admissions advisor will reach out shortly.
What You'll Learn in HDMC's Veterinary Assistant Program
Our Veterinary Assistant Certificate program can be completed in as few as 35 weeks and combines classroom learning, lab training, and an externship so you build real animal care skills before you graduate.
Externship Included
Every student completes 200 hours of externship, gaining real experience caring for animals in a working veterinary setting before graduation.
Veterinary Coursework
Build a strong foundation with courses in veterinary terminology, veterinary pharmacy, animal husbandry, and nursing care for the veterinary assistant.
Small Lab Groups
Learn from professional instructors in small lab groups with one instructor for every 25 students, so you get the guidance you need as you build your skills.
Why Choose High Desert Medical College?
What Sets HDMC Apart
Nationally Accredited
Accredited by ACCET, a nationally recognized agency listed by the U.S. Department of Education, and licensed to operate by California's BPPE.
Financial Aid Options
Federal grants, loans, and work study are available for those who qualify, and our Financial Aid Office will guide you through the FAFSA.
Career Services
Our team helps place you at your externship site and supports your job search with resume help and placement assistance.*
Convenient Location
Train at our downtown Bakersfield campus, home to more than 26,000 square feet of medical education space. Tours are welcome.
Take the Next Step Now
Love animals? Turn that passion into a career. At High Desert Medical College, you'll build practical skills in our campus labs, learning to prepare exam rooms, restrain animals during procedures, sterilize surgical instruments, and give medications and immunizations. Then you'll put those skills to work during 200 hours of externship in a real veterinary setting. In as few as 35 weeks, you can earn your Veterinary Assistant Certificate and be prepared to support veterinarians in caring for animals every day. Click the button below to get started today!
- Hands On Lab Training
- Externship Included
- Veterinary Coursework
- Small Lab Groups
Where a Veterinary Assistant Career Can Take You
Your training prepares you for entry level roles across a range of animal care settings, from neighborhood vet clinics to zoos and wildlife refuges.
- Veterinary Offices
- Veterinary Hospitals
- Animal Shelters
- Research Facilities
- Zoos & Wildlife Refuges
- Pet Boarding Facilities