Tue, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 12:00 am

While studying to become a veterinary technician can lead to the perfect career path for many animal lovers it is important to get a solid understanding of what is required to become a veterinary tech and what the job is actually like.

Most veterinary technicians complete their formal academic training before they enter the job market. The majority of today's veterinary technicians report a high level of job satisfaction with their job, but there are a number of physical and emotional hazards that anyone considering a career in this field should take into consideration.

Vet Tech Education and Training

In order to meet the minimum requirements to become a veterinary technician, students must complete an associate's degree in veterinary technology from a vet tech school like SJVC. Students can expect to spend a considerable amount of time in a clinical classroom environment at vet tech school. After their coursework is complete, students will need to pass a certification exam that will give them the necessary certification to work anywhere in California.

Veterinary Technician Job Outlook and Career Advancement

According to Bureau of Labor statistics, the job outlook for tomorrow's veterinary technicians is excellent. Due to the large number of pet owners who are willing to pay top dollar for quality pet care, the number of employment positions for vet techs is expected to increase by 36% over the next decade. To put that in perspective, the expected job growth rate for registered nurses and nursing assistants over the same time frame is only 22% and 18% respectively.

Unless they are working with farm or zoo animals, new vet techs can expect to spend the majority of their on their feet working with a constant flow dogs, cats and other common small animals. In a nutshell, most modern vet techs perform most of the same procedures on animal patient that a nursing assistant performs on human patients before they meet with their doctor. There are also nontraditional routes vet techs can take their careers including pet nutrition educators and veterinary pharmaceutical reps. SJVC is a great place to get your veterinary career off the ground. Contact us today for more information.