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Small animal practice
Veterinary Technician
Nursing for patients who bite and cannot tell you where it hurts.
Typical pay
$35k-$55k
How you get in
2-year AVMA-accredited program plus the VTNE
Outlook
Growing, though retention is the industry's problem
Vet techs do for animals what nurses do for people — anesthesia, blood draws, radiographs, dental work and client education. It is skilled clinical work that is chronically underpaid relative to its training.
A day in the life
- 7:30aTreatments and medications for hospitalized patients
- 8:30aAnesthesia induction and monitoring for the morning surgeries
- 11:00aDental cleaning with radiographs
- 1:00pLunch, often interrupted
- 2:00pOutpatient appointments — vaccines, blood draws, nail trims
- 5:30pDischarge calls and treatment notes
How to get in
Associate degree in veterinary technology
Duration
2 years
Cost
$8,000-$30,000
Credential
Credentialed vet tech via the VTNE
- Complete an AVMA-accredited program
- Finish clinical rotations in practice settings
- Pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam
- Register or license in your state under its specific title
Veterinary assistant first
Duration
1-2 years, then the program
Cost
$0-$3,000
Credential
Assistant now, credentialed tech later
- Get hired as a veterinary assistant with no formal training
- Learn restraint, husbandry and clinic flow
- Confirm the field is for you before paying tuition
- Enter an accredited program, often with employer support
Bachelor's in veterinary technology
Duration
4 years
Cost
$40,000-$120,000
Credential
BS plus VTNE credential
- Complete a four-year veterinary technology program
- Pass the VTNE
- Enter research, teaching or specialty practice more easily
- Not required for clinical practice — the associate is the standard
What people love
- · Real clinical skills — anesthesia, imaging, surgery support
- · You work with animals every day
- · Two-year credential
- · Specialty certifications available
What wears people down
- · Pay is poor for the skill required
- · Euthanasia is a routine part of the job
- · Compassion fatigue is a known industry crisis
- · Bites, scratches and lifting injuries