Veterinarian Assistants and Technicians
Veterinarians employ assistants and technicians to assist them in the care of animals in much the same way that nurses or medical assistants help physicians in the care of patients. The technicians typically have more formal education and the assistants receive on-the-job training.
Duties, Activities, and Scope of Practice
The duties of the assistant and technician may include the following: receiving animals for examination or care, including emergency care, weighing animals, taking temperatures, performing laboratory tests and collecting specimens, changing dressings, holding animals during examinations, administering medications, and preparing animals for surgery, helping anesthetize them, and observing them postoperatively. They also instruct owners in care and treatments to be done at home.
Education and Training
Assistants can receive on-the-job training, but most technicians are formally trained through programs at community colleges or vocational/trade schools. Bachelor's degree programs are also available in veterinary technology, but most technologists perform the same duties as technicians and the programs are not as popular. Those who wish to work in the area of research need to pursue a degree in laboratory animal science.
Programs should be accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
ssential
The curriculum for a degree in laboratory animal science consists of biological and behavioral sciences related to animals, chemistry, math, pharmacology for animals, as well as supervised clinical experience working with animals and learning testing procedures in laboratory sciences. It also includes study of veterinary office practices, use and care of equipment, and sterilization of instruments.
Licensure/Certification
All states regulate technicians to ensure competency through a written, oral, and practical exam, but each state is different. Most recognize the National Veterinary Technician (N.V.T.) exam that all graduates of an accredited program are eligible to take.
Work Settings and Salaries
Veterinary assistants and technicians work for veterinarians in clinics and animal hospitals, animal shelters and humane societies, boarding kennels, and zoos. Depending on the facility, assistants and technicians may need to be available twenty-four hours a day, so they have to cover various shifts. Others work set hours, which can include weekends and evenings, to meet the needs of the animal owners. Part-time and full-time options are available.
The U.S. Department of Labor reports a median hourly salary of $11.99 in 2004. The salary range was from approximately $8.51 to $17.12 hourly for full-time technicians.
Career Potential and Additional Information
Pet owners are becoming more affluent and also consider their pets a part of the family, so they are more willing to spend money to take care of their pets. This is helping to increase the need for veterinary technicians and will continue to do so over the next decade. As technology advancements improve the quality of care and the ability to save and extend lives of animals, more veterinary services will be needed as well.
There is no official professional organization for veterinary assistants and technicians, but more information on these careers is available from the American Veterinary Medical Association. Their Web site is
