Veterinary technicians assist veterinarian doctors with a wide variety of procedures and tasks, typically at veterinary hospitals and clinics. That means you’ll be supporting veterinary doctors and assistants with lab procedures, exams and animal care. You’ll also work with pet owners and animal care providers to provide education and guidance for proper care and treatment, based upon the doctor’s instructions. Your patients might include exotic animals, birds, large animals and typical household pets such as cats and dogs. You’ll provide comfort to both the pet and the pet’s caregiver, great customer service, and help ensure a clean and safe veterinary environment.
Veterinary technicians perform a wide variety of functions, depending on the type of practice they work within. Vet techs might administer anesthesia, perform dental prophylaxis, establish and open airways, administer resuscitative oxygen procedures, administer external cardiac resuscitation, and administer drugs. You’ll provide wellness care, assist with exams, and more.
Administrative duties might include supporting, scheduling, and communicating with animals owners/care providers; billing and bookkeeping; and general office management or support.
If you have a busy life and don’t think you have time to train for a new career, think again. Maybe you are a full-time parent, a working adult, or both, and you feel like you barely have time to breathe. Whatever the reason, you shouldn’t worry. You can typically earn your veterinary technician associate degree part time from a local school.
Programs like the one offered at the Institute of Medical and Business Careers (IMBC), can typically be completed part-time in about a year-and-a-half. Perfect for people with busy lives that want to start a new career. Make sure you attend an accredited school too. Accreditation means that the institution meets certain academic and student support standards, among other requirements. This usually gives you peace of mind that your training is of a good quality.
Getting your degree is an important step in learning the skills to become a veterinary technician, but it’s not the only step. You may want to consider getting your certification too; in fact, many states require you to be certified before gaining employment. Certification shows employers you’ve obtained the necessary skills to be a successful veterinary technician. Some schools will even pay for your certification exam, like IMBC.
Although each state regulates veterinary technologists and technicians differently, the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York require technicians to pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), offered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).
Additionally, you should be confident you can perform the following tasks, as they are common for many veterinary technicians:
Once you have your degree and certifications, you’ll be ready to begin your career search. Your school’s career services department is the perfect place to assist with your search. They will help you:
You can also begin your search using online job sites, such as:
Ready to get started and want to learn more? Contact a school like IMBC and you’ll be on your way to a rewarding career as a veterinary technician.
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