Ft. Pierce Westwood’s veterinary tech lab provides students hands-on experiences in veterinary medicine. Students have the opportunity to work closely with local veterinarians observing various procedures.
Students can receive on-the-job training in the kennel and clinical facilities. Following graduation, students can work immediately as Veterinary Assistants or continue further education at the college level.
Areas of study include:
Classroom studies include Animal Nutrition and Behavior, Anatomy and Physiology and Disease Processes, Medical Terminology, Parasitology and Immunology, and Surgical Nursing.
Wide varieties of skills are emphasized with classroom and lab lessons, including science, math, communications, leadership, management, and technology.
Student responsibilities include care of dogs and cats, restraint of dogs and cats, vaccinating animals, medicating animals, and observing/assisting in surgery.
Students work daily in a state-of-the-art veterinary facility that includes classroom space, wet labs, dissection room, small animal housing, and kennels.
Careers in Veterinary Science include: veterinarian, veterinary technician, veterinary assistant, veterinary specialty surgeon, veterinary pharmaceutical and diagnostic equipment sales, grooming/obedience training, pet store advisory and food sales, USDA personnel, research, CDC scientist, horse trainer, wildlife rehabilitator, marine mammal specialist, and much more!
Students at Fort Pierce Westwood Academy can complete the Certified Veterinarian Assistant Certification through the Veterinary Tech program.
Slide 1 of 7: About the program
This program is a planned sequence of instructions consisting of 4 courses. This is the foundation for a veterinary medicine & science career.
Vet 1: Practice safety, Recognize normal/abnormal behaviors, breed identification for dog/cats, medical terminology
Vet 2: basic first aid, understanding tools, equipment, instruments, vital sign techniques, breed identification of several species
Vet 3: animal control, laws and welfare, Understanding nutritional requirements, reproductive/breeding of companion animals, exotic animals and fish, understanding of preventive medicine and disease
Vet 4: maintain and analyze records, diagnostic testing and animals in research
Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) - 250+ volunteer hours with local veterinarians - hands on training and labs
All classes participate in daily care of companion and exotic animals. We also harvest our own mealworms and breed our feeders to feed to our reptiles.
We offer grooming, in house diagnostics and lots of play time with our doggy day care program
Meet Your Instructor – Ms. Shoun
I graduated from Westwood in 2012 from the Vet Assisting Program as a certified veterinary assistant! Since then I have followed my career path from general practice to emergency & specialty practice.
Now I teach the vet assisting program! I fell in love with what I did for a career, so why not teach it to others!? When the opportunity came, I could not resist! I had to grab it and run with it. I have been loving every minute. Best of all I get to be the co-advisor for our FFA chapter.
It means so much to be apart of the same FFA chapter and vet program that built me
Meet Your Instructor – Ms. Shoun
