If you are passionate about caring for animals, you can choose a career as a veterinary technician. Aside from the fact that a veterinary technician salary is good, the fulfillment of doing what you love is the most rewarding part of being a veterinary technician.
As a veterinary technician, you are given the opportunity to be surrounded with different animals. You will be responsible in caring for them, including administering shots and providing dental care. You also get the chance to work with animal owners and train them about proper care for their pets. Working as a veterinary technician also allows you to perform a number of tasks in the absence of the veterinarian like treating minor wounds. Part of your job is to facilitate diagnostic exams and analyze the results.
For you to gain entry in the veterinary field as a veterinary technician, you must have a minimum education of 2 years that focuses on science subjects such as chemistry and biology. You have the option of taking a bachelor degree (4 years) depending on how much you want to grow in your profession. After completing your coursework, you need to pass the credentialing exam for veterinary technicians, which is the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). The test will comprise of questions about animal nursing, animal surgery, lab procedures, pharmacology, among many others.
Hospitals and clinics require you to finish an internship program before you get accepted for a veterinary technician position. Early on your career, you should join the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) so you can network with other professionals in your field, and increase your chances of getting hired. Other opportunities of joining NAVTA include industry-specific trainings and career development. If you want to specialize, say in animal behavior, dentistry, internal medicine, anesthesia or critical care you must take further education in your field.
Your career path as a veterinary technician can lead to training or supervisory position. The growing number of pet owners who are in need of intensive care procedures for their pets has made way to high demands for veterinary technicians.
Veterinary technician salary depends on years of experience and salary. For an entry level position, the approximate salary is $30,000. Year 2007 salary reports has shown that technicians working in the pharmaceutical industry earned around $42,240, while those working in the federal government have salaries at around $43,380. If you love animals and if you enjoy working with doctors and pet owners, you will flourish in the veterinary technician position.