Building the Pipeline: From Veterinary Assistant to Credentialed Veterinary Technician
2026 Bronze Brandon Hall Excellence Award — Best Use of a Blended Learning Program
Mission Veterinary Partners (now Mission Pet Health) partnered with Innovative Learning Group to create a scalable, employer-sponsored pathway for veterinary assistants to become credentialed veterinary technicians. Designed for working professionals, the program combines structured online learning with mentor-led, hands-on skill development to drive accountability, skill mastery, and real-world application, supported by a continuous improvement approach to strengthen quality and learner experience.
Situation
Veterinary assistants are entry-level clinic team members, while credentialed veterinary technicians hold an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)-accredited degree, pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), and complete ongoing continuing education.
Mission Pet Health (MPH) launched the MVP School for Veterinary Professionals to create a more accessible pathway for credentialing assistants, many of whom face barriers in traditional programs, including cost, limited access to hands-on training, and low-quality or difficult-to-complete online options. Some programs show low completion rates (17.2% overall) with extended completion timelines of up to six years due to complex skills validation processes and limited training sites.
To address these challenges, MPH developed an internal program for working professionals, combining academic rigor with hands-on clinical experience. The program launched to support career advancement and workforce growth.
Solution
In partnership with Innovative Learning Group (ILG), MPH created the MVP School for Veterinary Professionals — a flexible, employer-sponsored pathway built specifically for working veterinary assistants. Using curriculum from a high-performing, AVMA/CVTEA-accredited program as a foundation, MPH developed a rigorous online model that blends structured coursework with hands-on clinical experience.
Together, MPH and ILG rebuilt and standardized 22 online courses using consistent design templates, streamlining workflows and multi-stage quality reviews to ensure accuracy and alignment with real-world practice.
A key component to this program is pairing each learner with an in-clinic mentor — either a veterinarian or credentialed technician — trained to assess skills using standardized rubrics, eliminating inefficient video submissions. Ongoing check-ins and surveys provide accountability and support, with a targeted three-year completion timeline and strong VTNE pass-rate goals. Expanded access to large-animal training further reduces common barriers.
Delivered through a centralized learning platform and offered at no cost to eligible employees, the program removes financial and access barriers while creating a clear, supported path to credentialing. In the future MPH plans to make the program available to the veterinary community at a minimal cost.
Results
Early results show strong engagement, satisfaction, and alignment with the needs of working adult learners. LMS data indicates an average of 8.7 hours per week spent on-platform, with student feedback confirming total weekly effort aligns with the program’s 8- to 15-hour expectation when offline work is included.
Mid-program survey results reflect a positive learner experience, with scores ranging from 4.0 to 4.6 out of 5. Students report high confidence in completing the program (4.6), solid overall satisfaction (4.1), and a workload that is challenging but manageable (4.0). Clarity of expectations and time alignment also scored strongly (4.1 each).
End-of-course surveys further highlight high satisfaction and effective academic support, while also surfacing targeted improvement areas such as exam alignment, pacing, and technical enhancements.
To learn more about how Innovative Learning Group can create custom learning solutions to help improve business results, contact us at info@innovativeLG.com.
