Careers in Veterinary Technology

A brief history, and discussion of the career and career options,

Veterinary technology is a demanding and rewarding profession. To be a veterinary technician requires knowledge, skill, dedication, physical and mental strength, compassion, patience and hundreds of other attritubes too numerous to mention! Technicians are the heart and soul of the veterinary hospital, they perform a wide variety of essential tasks that keep a clinic running. Without professional and dedicated technicians veterinary medicine would not be at the high level it is today. Unfortunately, most technicians do not get the recognition or salary they deserve for their great contribution to veterinary medicine. A majority of technicians are in the field because they enjoy the challenging work, they love animals and want to be part of a veterinary health care team that heals animals and keeps them healthy.

Historic perspective

Over one hundred years after the first college of veterinary medicine was established, the first formal educational program for veterinary technicians (called animal health technicians at that time) was established in the late 1960s at Delhi College (SUNY) in upstate New York.

Education

Today there are 71 accredited veterinary technology programs in the United States and 4 in Canada. Many veterinary technology programs are two years in length and are associated with community colleges. There are six programs offering Bachelor of Science degrees (four years of college) in Veterinary Technology. Most veterinary technology programs have limited enrollment and students have to meet several requirements before admission to the curriculum. Even with these strict enrollment guidelines the attrition rate from veterinary technology programs are about 27% in the first year and 12% in the second year. The American Veterinary Medical Association accredits these programs in a manner similar to veterinary colleges. This assures that certain material will be taught throughout North America and that graduates from any of the programs should be able to pass the National Board Exam and find employment nationwide. Forty states regulate the profession of veterinary technology by issueing licences, certification or registration after candidates pass the national and or state board examinations.

The Career

The following information is from a 1995 survey by the American Veterinary Medical Association. The stastics represent the entire United States. Certainly the strong economy has increased the average wage in the past 4 years and the Washington D.C. metropolitan area generaly has a higher income level than other parts of the country.

Graduate technicians were employed (by percent) in the following areas .
small animal practice = 59%
mixed practice = 10%
equine practice = 4%
research and diagnostic labs = 13%
speciality practice = 2%
food animal practice = 2%
sales and industry = 2%

Salaries.
average = $17,000 yearly
small animal exclusively = $22,000
equine exclusively = $18,000
research and laboratories = $26,000
industry and sales = $29,000

Graduate technicians work in many areas including:
Speciality practice (by discipline): surgery, dermatology, internal medicine, ophthalmology, and cardiology among others.
Speciality practice (by species): feline, equine, exotic, bovine etc.
Technician specialities including dendistry, emergency medicine and anesthesia,
Industry: sales & marketing of pharmaceuticals, pet foods and medical equipment,
Laboratory animal care: private industry, government, universities
Diagnostic laboratories: private firms, state labs, universities
Humane Society and animal shelter employee investigator, warden, public educator, animal care taker
Veterinary technician educators

Duties of a veterinary technician typically include:
Hospital administration
Patient care including, administering medication by various routes, bandaging and wound care
Anesthesia including induction, monitoring and recovery.
Surgical preparation of patient, instruments and facility, surgical assisting
Radiology all aspects
Client education, vaccinations, physaical examination and evaluation
Collection of diagnostic samples, examination of laboratory samples (cytology, urine, blood, feces)
Dental prophylaxis

What does the future hold for veterinary technology?

For the most part the fate of veterinary technology is closely tied to that of veterinary medicine. Thus, if the economy is poor and the business aspect of veterinary medicine is poor, the technician also suffers. For those technicians in private veterinary practice it is essential to realize that practice is a business and that their time is valuable.

Graduate veterinary technicians are now recognized by veterinarians as essential and vital members of the animal health care team. Only within the past ten years the term veterinary technician was accepted by the profession, and there are still a few veterinarians who are threatened by technicians. There are laws and regulations that govern what veterinary technicians can do, technicians are expected to be ethical and professional just like veterinarians (more about this in the unit on ethics and professionalism).

Because of an active state technician organization, two accredited veterinary technology programs and support from veterinarians in the state, Virginia has strong laws supporting veterinary technicians. For example, only licensed techs (and veterinarians) are legally allowed to administer anesthesia. Laws vary from state to state as do licensing requirements.

Click here to investigate three different career pathways available to technicians and read about three graduates of the Veterinary Technology program at Northern Virginia Community College.

Questions on the Veterinary Technology website contact Bonnie Webster

This page last updated: October 26, 2006