Career Opportunities as a Veterinary Technician
Training as a Veterinary Technician enables the student to work as professional technical support to veterinarians, biomedical researchers, and other scientists, as well as positions in the pharmaceutical industries, animal control and humane organizations, and local and state health departments.
Opportunities for jobs exist in the following areas:
- Veterinary Practice
- Veterinary Supply Sales
- Zoo/Wildlife Medicine
- Diagnostic Laboratories
- Biomedical Research
- Humane Societies
- Military Service
- Teaching
- Herd Health Managers
The trend toward group practices, increased client expectations of quality care, and an economic need to leverage veterinarians’ productivity have allowed veterinary technicians to play a greater role in providing nursing care and related medical services. Veterinary technicians can assist the veterinarian as a nurse, lab technician, radiography technician, anesthetist, surgical nurse, and client educator.
Eighty-five percent of veterinary technicians and assistants are employed in private practice. *Most technicians are employed in a companion animal practice. The demand for trained technicians and assistants in other areas is rapidly expanding. Other employment opportunities include: biomedical facilities, diagnostic laboratories, colleges/universities, veterinary supply sales, zoos and wildlife facilities, the military, humane societies and animal control facilities, drug or feed manufacturing companies, and industry or food safety inspection.
*National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (www.navta.net)