A career as a veterinary technician can be an incredibly rewarding experience. One can have many responsibilities assisting vets in surgery and overseeing other medical procedures, yet the career requires half the training of a vet. Like most occupations, don't expect to start raking in the dough, but with increasing responsibilities come increasing opportunities for pay.
Career
Veterinary technicians prepare animals for surgery, draw blood, place catheters, monitor a patient's heart rate and, overall, assist vets. Contrast this to assistants who primarily do kennel work --feeding and exercising the animals, for example. However, technicians also require more training and licensing (which must be renewed every 2 years). A good way to break into the profession quickly and to save some cash on an associate's degree is to start as an assistant and work your way up.
Education
Be aware that before you can make some green you'll have to spend some green. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, before you can even start working in this role, you need 2 to 4 years of training at an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited veterinary technician program. This training must include course work such as human anatomy and physiology and biology. You'll also have to pass a state exam (each exam varies by state) to become a certified veterinary technician--and keep in mind that continuing education is required to stay licensed (though many organizations will cover most, if not all, of those expenses).
Salary
In 2005, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the average salary for a vet tech was nearly $27,000. The top 10 percent on the pay scale made more than $37,000. There's a lot in the middle, and like most jobs, salary usually falls in line with increasing responsibility. Pay also varies by what type of technician work you're doing and the type of organization you work for.
Types
There are two basic paths to go into as a veterinary technician: opting for work at an animal clinic or hospital or working in animal research. On average, those who start in animal research get paid less than their clinic counterparts, but their salaries can quickly outpace clinic employees, as they can move up the ranks more rapidly. Among the best paying organizations are pharmaceutical or medical manufacturing and state bodies. Be aware that additional training, such as lab work, will be required to land some of those more lucrative positions at a research facility or pharmaceutical field.
Benefits
Salary is one part of the puzzle, but it's not the whole picture. Generally, techs are extended vacation, holiday, sick, 401(k), continuing education and health benefits. But organizations may also extend discounts for pet care and food and uniform allowances.
Competition
In the government's snapshot of the profession, growth is expected to be keen, and employers are preferring more highly trained veterinary technicians to less-educated veterinary assistants; however, one will have to factor in the additional costs associated with more education when considering the return on their investment.
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