Veterinary Medical Assistant
Veterinary Medical Assistant
Contact Us
Danielle White
Agricultural Sciences Enrolment Specialist
780 853 8789
780 581 0805
Ask me your questions
Choose Alberta's foremost veterinary medical assistant program. In less than a year you'll have work skills for an animal shelter, pet store or veterinary practice.
We require you to do 20 volunteer hours before your start this program. You'll get a better ideas of what you can expect.
If you aren’t sure whether VMA or Veterinary Techology (VT) is for you, learn about their roles.
You’ll be able to build a great skill set from invoicing clients to exotic animal care.
Your hands-on training will be at:
- Lakeland’s Animal Health Clinic, an Alberta Veterinary Medical Association accredited animal hospital.
- the college farm.
Field trips will add to your knowledge.
A 4-week practicum – anywhere in Canada – allows you to put your abilities to work.
Requirements
More program details
Our tuition and fees page has details about academic, application and mandatory fees and their cost breakdown per term.
You can find your textbook list on the agricultural sciences textbooks and supplies page.
Your weekly class schedule can be found on your My Lakeland student portal when available. This is usually one month prior to the program start date.
Important dates found below include your tuition due date, your program registration/start date, events and holidays.
Dates are subject to change. We recommend you check here regularly for any updates.
Face-to-face on-campus important dates
Note: These dates are subject to change.
| 2025 | |
| Aug 11 | Fees due, fall term semester 1 |
| Sept 2 | Registration Day |
| Sept 3 | First day of classes, fall term semester 1 |
| Sept 10 | Last day to add semester 1 courses |
| Sept 23 |
Last day to drop semester 1 courses. Last day to withdraw with full refund of fees less tuition deposit. |
| Sept 30 | National Truth & Reconciliation Day, college closed |
| Oct 13 | Thanksgiving, college closed |
| Nov 3 | Last day to withdraw from semester 1 with W grade or change from credit to audit |
| Nov 10-11 | Fall break for students |
| Nov 11 | Remembrance Day, college closed |
| Dec 1 | Fees due, winter term |
| Dec 12 | Last day of semester 1 |
| Dec 13 - Jan 5 | Christmas break for students |
| 2026 | |
| Jan 6 | First day of classes, winter term semester 2 |
| Jan 13 | Last day to add semester 2 courses |
| Jan 27 |
Last day to drop semester 2 courses. Last day to withdraw with 100% refund of semester 2 fees. |
| Feb 16-20 | Reading week/spring break |
| Mar 13 | Last day to withdraw from semester 2 courses with W grade or change from credit to audit. |
| Apr 3-6 | Easter Break, college closed |
| May 15 | Last day semester 2 |
| Jun 5 | Vermilion campus Convocation |
Note: These dates are subject to change.
| 2026 | |
| Aug 12 | Fees due, fall term semester 1 |
| Sept 1 | Registration Day |
| Sept 2 | First day of classes, fall term semester 1 |
| Sept 7 | Labor Day, college closed |
| Sept 9 | Last day to add semester 1 courses |
| Sept 22 |
Last day to drop semester 1 courses. Last day to withdraw with full refund of fees less tuition deposit. |
| Sept 30 | National Truth & Reconciliation Day, college closed |
| Oct 12 | Thanksgiving, college closed |
| Nov 2 | Last day to withdraw from semester 1 with W grade or change from credit to audit |
| Nov 19-13 | Fall break for students |
| Nov 11 | Remembrance Day, college closed |
| Dec 1 | Fees due, winter term |
| Dec 18 | Last day of semester 1 |
| Dec 21 - Jan 4 | Christmas break for students |
| 2027 | |
| Jan 5 | First day of classes, winter term semester 2 |
| Jan 12 | Last day to add semester 2 courses |
| Jan 25 |
Last day to drop semester 2 courses. Last day to withdraw with 100% refund of semester 2 fees. |
| Feb 15-19 | Reading week/spring break |
| Mar 12 | Last day to withdraw from semester 2 courses with W grade or change from credit to audit. |
| Mar 26-29 | Easter Break, college closed |
| Apr 23 | Last day semester 2 |
| Jun 4 | Vermilion campus Convocation |
As a veterinary medical assistant, you learn a variety of skills based on the many roles you may have in a clinic. You may be assisting a:
- client
- receptionist
- clinic manager
- veterinarian technologist
- veterinarian
Animal care and medical
- small and large animal restraint
- exotic animal care and feeding
- wrapping and sterilizing surgical packs
- assisting with surgical patient preparation
- helping with radiographs
- packaging laboratory samples
Reception and records
- record keeping
- maintaining inventory
- customer service
- booking appointments
- invoicing clients
- client education
Clinic care and maitenance
- kennel care
- clinic sanitation
- lab equipment maintenance
Lakeland options
- take the Veterinary Technology program if you would like to do more hands-on technical skills. This is not a direct transfer, so you will have to spend two more years here.
- take another Agricultural Sciences program
- take our administrative professional program to add to your office and computer skills. It's based in Lloydminster, with 2 online courses.
Academic advisor
Discuss these and your other options with the agricultural sciences academic advisor:
Contact Allan:
- email allan.macmillan@lakelandcollege.ca
- call toll-free at 1 800 661 6490 ext. 8580
- call direct in Vermilion at 780 853 8580
- stop by his office in the Mead Building, MB 121
Enrol in an education in the real world. At Lakeland College, agriculture science students have access to high-end facilities, are involved in professional initiatives and have opportunities to grow in countless leadership opportunities.
Take a look for yourself and see what we are all about.
Agriculture sciences opportunities go far beyond the field, offering you a wide range of career paths.
Whatever you're interested in, we'll help you get there. Start by seeing what could be in store for you and where our students and alumni have already gone.
