Veterinary Technician Training
Becoming a veterinary technician is a lucrative career for animal lovers. While becoming a veterinary doctor might be the most ideal career for an animal lover, not everyone has the resources to finish a four-year college degree and another four years of veterinary medicine school required for vet MDs.
Education and Training
A veterinary technician career is a hands on job. Therefore, a veterinary technician should be prepared for the rigors of handling animals. One should be familiar with the physiology and nature of various animals. Veterinary technician programs vary in length, depending on the school curriculum. Most programs last between 16 months for an associate degree, to four years, for a bachelor’s degree. This includes both theoretical studies on the anatomy and physiology of animals, and also physical and practical applications.
Internship
As being a veterinary technician is a hands-on career, practical experience will be crucial to your success in this field. For this reason, school accreditation requires that practical experience be included in the curriculum. Students are therefore required to undergo a period of internship. This can also be called different terms, such as externship, preceptorship, or practicum. Take advantage of the practical knowledge, skills and observations you make during internship. These will include lessons that will be valuable in a real-world setting outside of school.
Licensure and Certification
After graduating with an associate or bachelor’s degree, a prospective veterinary technician will need to take licensure examinations by completing the Veterinary Technician National Exam. Once you pass, you will either be given credentials as either a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) or a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) depending on your location. These credentials are generally interchangeable, depending on which state you work in.
Qualifications
Apart from formal training, a veterinary technician is also expected to have a good rapport with animals. This qualification is not necessarily learned through formal education, but finishing a good academic program will enable you to learn the differences between animals, and their nuances. This can have a big effect on how you treat them and communicate with them on their own terms. Remember that many of the animals a veterinary technician will deal with are sick or in danger.
Advancement and Further Training
Veterinary technicians who pursue higher learning will expect better salaries than fresh graduates and less experienced professionals. Also, most state certification boards will require that a veterinary technician undergoes about 16 hours of training every two years, to be eligible for renewal of one’s license.