What Are the Requirements to Become a Veterinary Technician?
If you’re passionate about animals and want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, you might be wondering what the requirements are to become a veterinary technician. Veterinary technicians play an important role in caring for sick and injured animals. As paravetinary workers, they work alongside licensed veterinarians while performing a myriad of tasks. When a client brings a sick or injured animal to a veterinary clinic, both the veterinarian and a veterinary technician may provide treatment.
While veterinary technicians work alongside licensed veterinarians, they don’t necessarily require supervision. They can typically perform some tasks by themselves, whereas other tasks require the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. These guidelines are set on a state level. Different states allow veterinarian technicians to perform different tasks without supervision. What are the requirements to become a veterinary technician exactly?
High School Diploma
You’ll need a high school diploma or equivalent to become a veterinary technician. Like most veterinary professions that involve directly treating sick or injured animals, veterinary technicians are regulated by the state in which they practice. Most states require veterinary technicians to be either licensed or certified. To obtain a license or certification, you’ll have to enroll in a college program that focuses on veterinary technology, and enrollment in college typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent.
Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology
After earning a high school diploma or equivalent, you can enroll in a college with an associate’s degree program in veterinary technology. All veterinary technicians must complete this college program before they can practice. An associate’s degree in veterinary technology is a two-year program. During this program, you’ll learn about common diseases and injuries in animals as well as how to treat them. Only after earning an associate’s degree in veterinary technology will you be eligible to obtain the necessary license or certification to practice as a veterinary technician.
Dozens of colleges offer degree programs in veterinary technology. To become a veterinary technician, you’ll need to enroll in one of these programs offered by an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited college. For a list of all AVMA-accredited colleges in the United States, click this link.
Keep in mind that many colleges offer bachelor’s degree programs in veterinary technology as well. As a veterinary technician, though, you only need an associate’s degree. Most states only require an associate’s degree to become a veterinary technician. To become a veterinary technologist, on the other hand, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree. You can still earn a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology, but most states only require an associate’s degree for veterinary technicians.
Licensing and Certification
You won’t be able to begin working as a veterinary technician immediately after earning a degree in veterinary technology. As previously mentioned, most states require veterinary technicians to either be licensed or certified.
Both licensing and certification is typically achieved by passing an exam. Known as The Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), it’s offered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards. The VTNE consists of roughly 200 multiple-choice questions. It covers questions involving common scenarios encountered by veterinary technicians. You’ll need to pass this four-hour exam to obtain a license or certification and, thus, work as a veterinary technician. Just remember to check your state’s specific requirements when applying to take the VTNE.
If you fail the VTNE, you can submit a new application to retake it. With that said, you’ll typically have to pay a separate application fee.
Find a Job
Once you’ve obtained a license or certification as required by the state in which you intend to practice, you can begin searching for a job. Veterinary clinics throughout the country hire veterinary technicians to assist with their operations. If you present yourself as a hard worker, they may hire you.
You can find job openings for veterinary technicians simply by visiting local veterinary clinics in your area. Don’t just call them. Rather, make a point to visit them so that you can talk to the veterinarian or veterinarians who run them. You can also use online classified ads to streamline your job search. Many veterinary clinics post job openings for veterinary technicians online. The key thing to remember is that you should visit the veterinary clinic. Visiting shows that you are serious about securing the job, and it also gives you an opportunity to view the clinic and the people who operate it.
In Conclusion
The path to becoming a veterinary technician requires dedication and hard work. Nonetheless, it’s easier than that of many veterinary professions, including licensed veterinarians and veterinary technologists. You’ll need to earn a high school diploma or equivalent, after which you can enroll in an associate’s degree program in veterinary technology. You can then take the VTNE to obtain a license or certification to practice as a veterinary technician.
