Students wanting to assist veterinarians usually earn an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology/Animal Health at a community or technical college. Technician programs typically take two years of classroom learning and clinical experience. Technicians learn to perform animal health procedures such as drawing blood and other fluid samples, running lab tests, and operating medical imaging. The American Veterinary Medical Association has a list available online of fully accredited and provisionally accredited veterinary technician programs in the United States.
While most veterinary technology students attain an Associate of Applied Science, some students earn a certificate to become a veterinary assistant, and a few focus on a specialty. California State University-East Bay and a few other schools have a Veterinary Assistant Certificate program, which lasts one year. The Ohio State University offers a unique Dairy Health and Management Certificate Program, which takes three years.
California State University-East Bay
Veterinary Assistant Certificate Program
25800 Carlos Bee Blvd, WA 804
Hayward, CA 94542
800-730-2784
csueastbay.edu
The Ohio State University
Dairy Health and Management Certificate Program
601 Vernon L. Tharp Street
Columbus, OH 43210
614-292-3551
ohio-state.edu
Veterinary students earning bachelor's degrees in four-year programs are usually considered technologists, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fewer students try for a bachelor's degree and fewer colleges offer veterinary technology bachelor's degrees than Associate of Applied Science programs. Purdue University, among a few others, offers a veterinary technologist bachelor's degree. The school says technologists can find work as animal housing managers, biomedical researchers, clinical team leaders, pharmaceutical sales representatives and educators.
Purdue University
Veterinary Technology
625 Harrison Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907
765-494-7619
purdue.edu
Some veterinary technologists with bachelor's degrees go on to veterinary medical school, although most aspiring veterinarians have earned bachelor's degrees in a pre-veterinary field such as animal science, biology, forestry or zoology.
While most veterinary technicians and technologists perform medical tests and help detect and diagnose injury and disease in animals, some programs train technicians to provide advanced or specialized nursing care. For example, assisting a large-animal veterinarian requires special training.
Veterinary technicians and technologists can find work in animal hospitals, veterinarians' offices, research laboratories, and humane societies. Competition is stiff for jobs in zoos and aquariums, says the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.