What is a Veterinary Technician?
If you have passion for animals of all shapes and sizes along with excellent communication skills following a Veterinary Technician career path is for YOU!
If you love animals and dream of a career that allows you to help them, becoming a veterinary technician is a great career choice for you. A veterinary technician helps and supports (assists) a Dr. Veterinarian Science and Medicine.
Classes offer a blended modality of online and labs all completed on the campus with the guidance of a Dr. Veterinarian Science and Medicine.
The Associate degree will provide life skills in the field involving handling animals, laboratory testing, and diagnosing illnesses of animals. A student who earns an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology will not only assist the Dr. of Veterinary Technology and Medicine but also provide more efficiency for the Doctor and the animals needing quality care.
The path to becoming a veterinary technician starts with a degree in veterinary technology. Attending an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited college for their veterinary technology program such as City College in Gainesville or Hollywood, FL is your first step on this journey.
After successfully earning an accredited degree in vet tech, the student must pass the credentialing exam of the state establishing work. The credentialing exam will make the student certified or licensed to practice veterinary technology. Certification can be obtained by first gaining experience in a laboratory animal facility before passing the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science or AALAS examination. The state of Florida is a very popular location to earn an associate’s degree for aspiring veterinary technicians.
The skills are demonstrated with real experience in private clinics, veterinary hospitals, laboratories, and other animal-related health care fields.
Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician.
- Animal Rescue / Shelter Animal Care
Greeting clients, collecting blood and other samples needed, physiotherapy, diet management and application to dressing. In addition to observing the condition of the animal when recovering.
- Biomedical Veterinary Research
This field offers a variety of career paths from environmental effects on animals to projects working on cancer cures.
- Diagnostic / Pathology Lab Support
Laboratories provide diagnostic services for veterinarians, livestock owners, zoos, and pet owners. The services provided by these laboratories include pathological tests, biopsy interpretations, bacteriology, virology, endocrinology, nutrition, parasitology, toxicology, and immunodiagnostics. Some laboratories also offer postmortem examination services.
- Radiology
Assist Doctors of Veterinarian and Medicine by prepping and assisting the patient (animal) and taking radiographic images.
- Veterinary Practice Management
Skills include maintaining medical charts and surgical history of animals treated at the location. Ordering and maintaining clinical supplies, managing accounts and building relationships with vendors and animal’s owners.
- Zoo / Exotic / Wildlife Animal Care
A career in zoo/wildlife animal care is a great option. Working in zoos or animal sanctuaries specializing in diagnosing and caring for zoo animals. Work could be with a variety of species, many of which may be rare or endangered and may have unfamiliar diseases.
- Food animal inspection
A career in food animal inspection that provides health care mainly designed for animals raised for food production and sometimes for laboratory animals. Work alongside farmers to ensure that these animals are raised in hygienic conditions and help diagnosis and treatment of these animals.
- Anesthesia: Veterinary technology) are trained in pre- and post-anesthetic evaluation of the patient (animal) and also learn the dosing and administration of anesthesia.
- Surgical aide: Veterinary technology assist during surgeries. Life skills tasks include prepping the animal and operating room for surgery while handling surgical instruments. In addition, observing the condition of the animal when recovering.
How much do Vet Techs earn?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for vet techs have an expected growth rate of 19% from 2014 to 2024, which means more chances of getting a job than in many other fields. As of 2018, the average salary of a vet tech is around $34,420 per year in the US. This career may be emotionally and physically draining but is a greatly rewarding and ever-growing field for those who are passionate about animals.