Veterinary Technician

Job Description:

Are passionate about helping medically-ill and distressed animals? If so, then a career as veterinary technician will absolutely fit you well. Veterinary technicians are healthcare professionals that offer care and treatment for sick and injured animals. They perform a wide range of duties and responsibilities that normally include the following:

• perform routine laboratory and clinical procedures, such as dispensing medication and collecting blood samples under the close supervision of a licensed veterinarian
• oversee the operation of high-tech diagnostic equipments, which are typically used when providing specialized care to ailing or injured animals
• record animals' medical history
• gather vital information including weight, food intake, diet, behavior, and symptoms of illness to help the veterinarian diagnose the problem and plan the appropriate treatment

Work Environment:

Veterinary technician professionals spend most of their time treating severely injured, seriously ill, unwanted, and abused animals. That being said, they are constantly exposed in a very emotionally-draining work setting. Moreover, the job can also be physically demanding at times since they have to lift injured animals, put restrain to hostile animals, and clean the animal cages. Veterinary technician professionals normally work long hours, and sometimes they need to be on-duty for 24 hours straight. Hence, veterinary technician professionals must be physically and emotionally prepared to face such a demanding job.

Education and Training Requirements:

Veterinary technician aspirants are required to complete a 2-year program from an accredited and reputable school in order to qualify for an entry-level position. In addition to that, aspirants must also gain relevant clinical and laboratory experiences since these are important aspects of the course program.

Currently, the American Veterinary Medical Association has already accredited over 116 veterinary technician curriculums in different US states. To become eligible for veterinary technician credentialing exams, it is a must that aspirants graduate from any of the accredited veterinary technician programs. Although each state has different requirements, they all require graduates to pass the credentialing exam before they can be certified to work as a professional.

Those who are planning to work in research facilities must pass the certification exam issued by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science since most employers prefer certified applicants.

Salary Range:

Income wages of veterinary technician aspirants are usually influenced by a number of factors including the following:

• practice setting and geographical location
• work experience
• educational background
• employer
• skills and expertise

Most veterinary technician professionals receive annual earnings of $20,641 - $41,603. Meanwhile, those who have pursued continuing studies program, and acquired relevant trainings usually earn more than $41,772.

Job Outlook:

Employment outlook for certified veterinary technician professionals is excellent. In fact, it is anticipated that job demand will steadily increase until 2014. The growing need for advanced animal care services will boost the demand for qualified veterinary technician professionals.

Therefore, begin a meaningful career as a veterinary technician by sifting through our extensive list of veterinary technician schools.

Online Schools:

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