after becoming a vet assistant what can i do do or course to up my career and education

by Linwood Greenfelder 9 min read

Veterinary assistants are often new to veterinary medicine but they may be inspired to advance their careers. Veterinary assistants can go on to work in research laboratories and universities, or they can further their education and pursue veterinary technology. How Long Does it Take to Become a Vet Assistant?

Full Answer

What are the required skills to be a vet assistant?

  • Active listening: Strong listening skills are necessary to understand and follow veterinarians' and veterinary technicians' instructions.
  • Monitoring: The ability to notice changes in animals' conditions will allow you to take appropriate action.
  • Service orientation: Veterinary assistants need a strong desire to help others.

More items...

How long does it take to become a vet assistant?

How to Become a Veterinary Assistant: Requirements, Duties & Skills

  • Veterinary Assistant Requirements. Sources: *U.S. ...
  • Steps to Become a Vet Assistant. The minimum educational requirement to become a veterinary aide or assistant is a high school diploma.
  • Vet Assistant Job Duties
  • Personal Skills. ...

What skills do you need to be a veterinary assistant?

  • Phlebotomy skills
  • Math skills
  • Attention to detail skills
  • Listening skills
  • Pet restraint skills
  • Pet knowledge - Food and diet, life spans, breeds, types of breeds (brachycephalic, working, guard dogs, etc.).
  • Pet diseases and prevention knowledge
  • Etc ...

What does it take to become a veterinary assistant?

What skills does a veterinary assistant need to be successful?

  • Communication. Veterinary assistants connect veterinarians with the pet owners and pass messages between the two parties.
  • Empathy. Because veterinary assistants may work with people and animals experiencing stress, fear and sadness, it's helpful for them to be empathetic.
  • Flexibility. ...
  • Organization. ...
  • Observation. ...

How do vet assistants advance?

6 Ways to Advance Your Vet Tech Career1) Find Leadership Roles Within the Veterinary Hospital.2) Get the Veterinary Technician Specialist Certification.3) Work as a Relief Vet Tech or Consultant.4) Become a Consultant for Pet Poison Hotlines.5) Work for Technology Companies That Aim to Improve the Pet Industry.More items...•

What can I do instead of a vet tech?

Here are ten alternative vet tech careers that you may not have considered:Work at a referral hospital or vet school. ... Explore opportunities in veterinary behavior. ... Specialize in clinical pathology. ... Work for a research lab, providing care for laboratory animals. ... Focus on veterinary nutrition. ... Take a walk on the wild side.More items...•

What is the next step after vet tech?

Often, entering the field of veterinary medicine as a Vet Tech is a great first step on the road to becoming a Veterinarian. This is because Vet Tech programs typically result in either an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree.

Where do vet assistants make the most money?

The best-paid veterinarian assistants earn $36,690 a year. Those who work in states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine tend to earn the most.

Why did I quit being a vet tech?

There are many reasons veterinary technicians leave their practices. Some of the most common include low pay, compassion fatigue, and burnout from busy schedules and understaffed practices. Another big reason members of your team may look elsewhere for employment is a lack of recognition for a job well done.

What can you do with a vet tech diploma?

Read on to discover the top 3 career paths you may achieve with your veterinary assistant diploma.Helping Animals in Medical Need by Working in an Animal Hospital or Veterinary Clinic. ... Making a Difference in Animals' lives by Working for an Animal Shelter or SPCA.More items...

Is it better to be a vet or vet tech?

Veterinarians require far more schooling and assume much more responsibility than do veterinarian technicians, and as a result veterinarians earn far more money. According to Careers in Healthcare, becoming a veterinary technician can be a stepping stone to a career as a veterinarian.

What type of vet tech makes the most money?

Emergency & Critical Care Vet Tech Salary The salaries of emergency and critical care vet techs were also the highest on Salary.com, where the average salary for vet techs in emergency and critical care at companies like Ethos Veterinary Health in the United States was $91,979.

What other jobs can a veterinary nurse do?

Alternative Careers for Veterinary NursesLocum vet nursing. ... Veterinary Practice Management. ... Veterinary Recruitment. ... Charity Work. ... Pharmaceutical Sector. ... Animal Physiotherapy.

What is the highest paying job working with animals?

Veterinarian. A veterinarian is one of the highest-paying animal careers. There are many different types of veterinary jobs. Mixed practice veterinarians work with both small and large animals, domestic or exotic.

How much does a vet assistant make?

By illustration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2021) found that among 98,970 veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers nationwide, the annual average salary was $31,780.

How long does it take to become a veterinary assistant?

Qualifications and training It usually takes one academic year to complete. The Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants programme was developed by The College of Animal Welfare and City & Guilds.

Q. Do I Need to Go To School to Be a Vet Assistant?

To be a vet assistant, you’ll need to have at least your high school diploma or a GED. However, having a bachelors or associates degree could put y...

Q. What Qualifications Must I Have to Apply?

Every establishment will have different qualifications in order to apply, but at a minimum you must have a high school diploma or equivalent certif...

Q. What Skills Do I Need?

In order to be a successful vet assistant, you’ll need to have people skills, administrative skills, skills working with animals, skills in taking...

Q. How Much Do Vet Assistants Make Hourly?

According to research, vet assistants make anywhere from $13-$16 hourly.

Q. What Do You Do As a Vet Assistant?

As a vet assistant, you’ll take care of the animals, clean their cages, walk, feed, and water the animals in your charge, run the front desk, work...

What does a vet assistant do?

What Does a Veterinary Assistant Do? - Veterinary assistants are responsible for many of the daily tasks involved with caring for animals receiving veterinary care, including feeding , weighing, giving medication, cleaning cages, and nursing animals before and after surgeries.

What is the job of a veterinary assistant?

Veterinary Assistant Responsibilities - A veterinary assistant may help a veterinarian during examinations and procedures, comforting and restraining animals.

What is a vet tech?

Vet techs can be supervisors of vet assistants.

How much does a veterinary assistant make?

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers - The median pay for veterinary assistants in 2019 was $28,590 annually according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What do you do if you love animals?

A veterinary assistant works with a veterinarian, helping with the treatment of animals. If you like being a vet assistant, you might want to go to college, so you can be a full veterinarian.

Do you need a degree to become a vet tech?

Vet assistants don't have to have a degree, and vet technicians need to have at least an associate's degree. Vet Tech vs. Vet Assistant, Schooling, Jobs and Salary Differences - Both vet techs and vet assistants have to work under the supervision of a veterinarian or other veterinary care professional.

How long does it take to get a veterinary assistant degree?

Earn your accredited, affordable Veterinary Assistant career diploma online with Penn Foster in as little as 7 months!

What is a vet assistant?

Vet assistants are licensed veterinary technicians that get to have a hands-on role in almost every facet of animal care. They play a vital role in the daily hustle and bustle of animal hospitals, vet officers, and more!

How many vet assistants will be employed in 2026?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of vet assistants (and laboratory animal caretaker is projected to grow by almost 19 percent from 2016 to 2026. As of 2016, the vet assistant employment rate was at about 83,800 people, but it’s projected to jump to about 100,000 by 2026.

How much does a vet assistant make?

So, what exactly does a vet assistant make, anyway? Research indicates that the median annual salary for a veterinarian assistant is about $29,648, however, the range for this is relatively broad. On the lowest end, veterinary assistants are making about $18,645 with the high end topping out around $37,000.

What are routine tests that do not require a veterinarian license?

Performing routine tests that do not require a veterinary license such as fecal exams, operating blood machines, urinalysis setup and test, heartworm, leukemia, FIV tests, etc. Maintaining status on patients and organizing patient files. Restraining and assisting the vet with restraining during procedures that do not require anesthesia.

What is the best career for all the animal lovers out there?

Veterinary Technicians– Great medical career for all the animal lovers out there.

What do you need to be a veterinarian?

Every establishment will have different qualifications in order to apply, but at a minimum you must have a high school diploma or equivalent certificate, a good grasp on personability, a love for helping animals, and determination.

How long does it take to become a veterinary assistant?

Here is one possible path to becoming a veterinary assistant: Graduate from high school (four years). As mentioned above, a high school diploma is a typical prerequisite to employment in this profession.

What are the courses required for a veterinary assistant certificate?

This on-campus veterinary assistant certificate program has core courses in outpatient care, diagnostics & pharmacy, and surgery & anesthesia.

How Much Do Vet Assistants Make?

By illustration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2019) found that among 97,030 veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers nationwide, the annual average salary was $29,690 .

What is a veterinary assistant?

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA 2021), veterinary assistants support the clinical activities of veterinary technicians and veterinarians by performing clerical work, animal restraint, and daily caretaking of veterinary patients.

What degree do vet techs need?

Technicians generally have associate degrees , whereas technologists have bachelor’s degrees, and both are encouraged to seek out veterinary technology programs accredited by the AVMA. These programs feature courses such as mammalian anatomy & physiology, veterinary pathology, parasitology, animal nursing, diagnostic imaging, and research methods. Following the completion of a qualifying program, prospective vet techs typically take the national Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), a test administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).

How long does it take to become a vet tech?

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA 2021) distinguishes between vet assistants and vet techs, stating that vet techs typically pursue two to four years of postsecondary education and have a greater scope of practice than vet assistants, giving support to veterinarians during complex surgical procedures and performing laboratory analyses to help diagnose medical conditions.

What states have a veterinary assistant certification?

Georgia, for instance, defines a veterinary assistant as someone who has on the job training or a single year of formal training. Texas, by contrast, has established a state certification process for vet assistants through the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA).