Veterinary Assisting Course Overview
Veterinary Assisting Course Syllabus
Introduction to Veterinary Medical Technology (JJC AGRI 119)
Ms. Jennifer Alessi, B.S., M.A.T.
Wilco Area Career Center
Office Hours: 2:30pm-4:30pm Mondays
Phone: 815.838.6941 ext.1019
Email: jalessi@wilco.k12.il.us
Course Description:
This course is designed to explore the many opportunities available to students pursuing a degree in veterinary technology. Careers including small animal medicine, large animal medicine, research, exotics, wildlife rehabilitation, and education will be overviewed. Field trips to various facilities that employ technicians are included in the course curriculum. Students are encouraged to complete 20 hours of volunteer/shadow/work experience within the Agricultural field (ranging from animal shelters to local crop farm). Students are responsible for maintaining and caring for the classroom animal collection.
In addition, students will learn animal science and the care of animals, including the fundamentals of companion animal species and breeds, behavior and training, animal anatomy and physiology, nutrition, and safety. This course will develop students’ understanding of animal ethics and welfare issues, animal health, veterinary medicine, veterinary office practices, and animal services to humans. Students develop basic skills and techniques for assisting the veterinarian/technician in the following areas: handling large and small animals, grooming animals/caring for coats, feeding animals, and maintaining equipment and facilities. Career exploration will focus on veterinary assistant, veterinary technician, veterinarian, veterinary lab technicians, office lab assistant, small animal production, research lab assistant, and animal nutrition lab technician. Since FFA and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs (SAEs) are integral components of this course, students are required to maintain SAE’s, and be a member of the FFA while participating in activities of the FFA organization. Students interested in pursuing a Veterinary Technology program will be encouraged to volunteer at local veterinary offices and/or animal shelters beyond the suggested 20 hours.
Credit and Contact Hours:
M-F 7:50-9:50, 9:55-11:50 and 12:26-2:26
High School Credit varies per district and count as elective credits
If student maintains a C or better they will qualify for 3 elective Agriculture credits with JJC.
Books, Supplies, and Supplementary Materials:
- Textbooks:
- Elsevier’s Veterinary Assisting Textbook
- Periodicals/Organizational Memberships:
- Optional- National FFA Organization (FFA)
- Software/Online Resources
- Required- Google Classroom; iCampus; Remind, The Agricultural Experience Tracker (AET)
- Optional- Kahoot, Quizlet, Quizizz; MyCAERT
- Supplementary Materials
- 20 hours of shadow/volunteer or work experience is recommended
Methods of Instruction:
- Supervised Agriculture Experience
- Lecture
- Lab
- Clinical
- Other
Other Methods:
- Career Exploration trips
- Industry Specialist and Technical Program speakers
Student Learning Outcomes: Course Content Outcomes
- To provide potential veterinary technology students with the knowledge of what a veterinary assistant's typical day in various fields of the career consist of. The student will gain knowledge about various career opportunities in veterinary sciences.
- Apply for volunteer work experience related to Agriculture and/or An Sci career.
- Design and carry out an experiment.
- Determine the effects of genetic manipulation and routes of intervention.
- Evaluate the impact animals and humans have on each other.
- Distinguish the anatomy and physiology of various systems found in animals.
- Determine proper nutrition requirements for various species.
- Debate the level of influence humans should have over animal reproduction and management.
- Evaluate use and effectiveness of medical treatments for disease control provided in veterinary medicine.
- Research career opportunities in various animal industries to determine level of interest.
Graded Assignments and Policies:
Graded Project Based Assessments:
- Charity Donation
- Disease Prevention
Grading Policy
- Assessments are weighted at 50%; Coursework is weighted at 40%; Final Exam/Practicum weighted at 10%
- Coursework will be accepted until the unit exam for the topic is given with one letter grade deducted. Students will receive half credit for missing coursework.
- Unit assessments can be retaken only once within 2 weeks of the initial testing date after completion of study resource. Students will receive 0 points for incomplete assessments.
- ID quizzes will be available for a total of 3 weeks. Full credit will be awarded on quizzes when taken in the first week prior to the due date. A 2 point reduction is taken from the score during the second week and a 3 point reduction is taken from the score the last week the quiz is available. Students will receive 0 points for incomplete assessments.
|
A |
Exceptional |
90-100 |
|
B |
Exceeds Expectations |
80-89 |
|
C |
Meets Expectations |
70-79 |
|
D F |
Improvement Needed Missing, illegible, incomplete |
60-69 50-59 |
Major Assessments
- Weekly ID quizzes (10 pts each)- open note and unlimited attempts to reach 100%
- Unit Assessments (50 pts each)- closed note and limited to 1 re-take. Best score will be factored into grade
- Semester summative exam/practicum (200 points total)
Classroom Policies and Procedures
- General Information- Students will come prepared for class with notebook, writing utensil and book daily. Students are to keep work stations and area clean at all times. Safety guidelines must be followed when working with lab equipment. Students are to be respectful of both people and animals in classroom. Inappropriate handling of or teasing of animals will be deemed unsafe and grounds for disciplinary action. Cells phones are to be in cubbie prior to the start of class and may only be utilized at teacher discretion.
- Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE)- Students are expected to volunteer and/or complete work outside of the classroom in an Ag-related project in addition to the care of classroom animals. Records will be entered into The Agricultural Experience Tracker (The AET).
- Books- Students will be responsible for their individual textbook throughout the school year and are responsible for replacement fee of $75 if damaged or lost. Students will also utilize classroom set of Chromebooks on a daily basis to complete assignments and must maintain their condition.
- Attendance Policy- 5 or more unexcused absences will result in an attendance contract.
- Make-up Policy- ALL students are responsible for checking Google Classroom for daily coursework and announcements. Students who have an excused/exempt absence will be granted three days upon their return to complete all assignments for full credit. Students with an unexcused/unknown absence will be responsible for completing the coursework by the assigned date and are encouraged to contact Ms. Alessi with concerns.
- Extra-Credit Policy- Extra credit will be given at teacher discretion and open for all students to participate.
- Final Exam- Final exam will be both written and hands-on skill based.
- Academic Honor Code- The objective of the academic honor code is to sustain a learning-centered environment in which all students are expected to demonstrate integrity, honor, and responsibility, and recognize the importance of being accountable for one’s academic behavior.
- Intellectual Property
- Students own and hold the copyright to the original work they produce in class. It is a widely acceptable practice to use student work as part of the college’s internal self-evaluation, assessment procedures, or other efforts to improve teaching and learning and in promoting programs and recruiting new students. If you do not wish your work to be used in this manner, please inform the instructor.
- Student Code of Conduct
- Each student is responsible for reading and adhering to the Student Code of Conduct stated in the college catalog.
- Sexual Harassment
- Wilco Area Career Center seeks to foster a community environment in which all members respect and trust each other. In a community in which persons respect and trust each other, there is no place for sexual harassment. Wilco has a strong policy prohibiting the sexual harassment of one member of the high/school college community by another. See Wilco Student Handbook or JJC Catalog.
- Student Support
- Available through students services at Wilco and coordinated with high school.
Course Outline: subject to change
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Units |
NAVTA related skills topic |
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Wilco Vet Assisting Class has their own website! Please visit:
https://sites.google.com/wilcoacc.org/wilco-vetassist/home?authuser=1
