Becoming a Vet Assistant
Vet assistants are responsible for assisting veterinarians in the treatment, care, and maintenance of animals. This role can include performing diagnostic testing and assisting with surgery, as well as cleaning cages, feeding and watering animals, and administering medicine to pets. This is an entry-level position that requires no formal education but does require strong customer service skills.
What Does a Vet Assistant Do?
A vet assistant may work at any type of veterinary clinic or hospital; however, they typically work with small animals like cats and dogs. They may be required to assist a veterinarian during surgery or diagnostic testing on animals. They must be able to communicate effectively with pet owners and understand their questions about their pet’s health status.
How Can I Become a Vet Assistant?
There are many different types of training programs available for aspiring veterinary assistants; however, these programs are not required for employment in this field because all states require proof of completion from an accredited school before you can obtain a license through your state government agency responsible for issuing licenses (such as the Department of Health).
How To Become Vet Assistant
With the recent explosion of organic pet foods, hand-sewn costumes, and psychiatric medicines for people’s furry, feathered, and scaly companions, it’s clear that pets hold a privileged position in many households. In fact, an annual survey by American Pet Products Association (APPA 2021-2022) found that 70 percent of US households have pets (which equates to 90.5 million homes), up from 56 percent in 1988.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC 2022) has repeatedly emphasized the positive effects of animals on lowering people’s blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and feelings of loneliness. Becoming a veterinary assistant can be a fulfilling option for animal lovers seeking a career with minimal training.
So what is a veterinary assistant? And what do these animal care specialists do? According to O*NET (2022)—a data organization affiliated with the US Department of Labor—vet assistants are on the front lines of animal caretaking, taking on responsibilities such as managing the everyday needs of animals (e.g., feeding, bathing, exercising); restraining animals during examinations and procedures; assisting with non-invasive medical procedures; disinfecting cages and kennels; scheduling medical appointments with pet-owners; sterilizing equipment and surgical rooms; monitoring veterinary patients’ health status (e.g., taking weight or temperature); and educating pet-owners.
These professionals may help veterinary technicians and veterinarians in more advanced capacities such as administering medication, processing laboratory samples, and performing medical tests (e.g., x-rays). Veterinary assistants are typically employed by animal clinics and veterinary hospitals, sometimes working nights, weekends, and holidays to meet the needs of their veterinary patients.
While veterinary technicians and technologists may need state registration, certification, or licensure in addition to a two- to four-year degree prior to seeking employment, veterinary assistants require less formal training.
Read on to discover how to become a veterinary assistant—including interviews with the experts and information on requirements, education, and professional certification—as well as how much money these animal caretakers can make, their projected career outlook, and how they can join related professions.
REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A VET ASSISTANT
To become a veterinary assistant, candidates typically need at least a high school diploma to qualify. O*NET (2022) found that 78 percent of responding veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers have a high school diploma as their highest academic credential.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA 2022), veterinary assistants support the clinical activities of veterinary technicians and veterinarians by performing clerical work, animal restraint, and daily caretaking of veterinary patients. Although there are some quality training programs in this field, there is no formal credentialing exam for veterinary assistants. On the contrary, many are trained on the job, although the required education and scope of practice for these animal caretaking professionals varies by state.
Georgia, for instance, defines a veterinary assistant as someone with on-the-job training or a year of formal training. Texas, by contrast, has established a state certification process for vet assistants through the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA). Other states such as New Hampshire and Hawaii specify no state-mandated restrictions on the scope of practice of veterinary assistants.
Overall, for aspiring veterinary assistants, it can be advisable to pursue a formal training program to enhance one’s resume, job candidacy, and salary prospects. The renowned Ohana Pet Hospital in Ventura, California actually prefers vet assistant candidates with an associate degree in veterinary technology (or an equivalent registered veterinary technician [RVT] program). Other typical requirements to join this profession include strong communication skills, compassion, punctuality, basic math skills, and the ability to lift at least 30 lbs.
STEPS TO BECOMING A VET ASSISTANT
There are varied paths to becoming a veterinary assistant. Some choose to seek employment directly at veterinary clinics and get trained on the job. Enrolling in a training program may be a preferable alternative for those interested in greater responsibilities, opportunities for advancement, and possibly higher pay.
Here is one possible path to becoming a veterinary assistant:
Step 1: Graduate from high school (four years). As mentioned above, a high school diploma is a typical prerequisite to employment in this profession. Aspiring vet assistants are encouraged to excel in courses such as biology which is a prerequisite to some certificate and degree programs. At this stage, students are encouraged to volunteer in local animal hospitals, veterinary clinics, farms, laboratories, and other environments to garner hands-on experience working with animals.
Step 2: Enroll in a veterinary assistant program (one year). According to the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA 2021), there are currently more than 50 programs—including four distance-based options—approved by NAVTA to become an Approved Veterinary Assistant (AVA). Although this credential is not essential for employment, it can enhance one’s job prospects among employers.
Typical application requirements for these programs include having a high school diploma or GED and completing prerequisite courses either before or concurrently with the program (e.g., biology, medical terminology). Here are four exemplary veterinary assistant programs:
| SCHOOL | ONLINE? | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Behavior College (ABC) Santa Clarita, CA | Yes | With 11 discrete stages of training in animal restraint, examination room procedures, small animal nursing, and radiology & ultrasound imaging, this program exposes students to the basics of veterinary technology. Additionally, students must complete a local externship at the end of their program to put their newfound abilities to practice. It typically takes one year. |
| Ashworth College Norcross, GA | Yes | This online veterinary assistant program comprises five units: orientation, office management, veterinary anatomy & pharmacology, small animal nursing, and clinical procedures. The program includes “virtual field trips” to enhance training, in addition to a 120-hour supervised externship. |
| Front Range Community College Fort Collins, CO | No | FRCC offers a variety of on-campus veterinary technician and laboratory animal care programs, including a two-semester certificate for aspiring veterinary assistants. With classes such as veterinary medical terminology, surgical nursing & care, and an internship, this 16.25-credit program gives an introductory overview of veterinary medicine. |
| Carroll Community College Westminster, MD | No | This on-campus veterinary assistant certificate program has core courses in outpatient care, diagnostics & pharmacy, and surgery & anesthesia. |
Step 3: Seek professional certification (timeline varies). After completing a qualified NAVTA-approved veterinary assistant program, students receive a code to take the exam for the Approved Veterinary Assistant (AVA) credential. Students enter the code into the VetMedTeam website, which provides a proctor for the 100-question exam. Students have 150 minutes to complete the test once the exam window has been opened and must pass with a score of at least 75 percent.
The AVA credential is valid for two years. Although professional certification is not mandatory, it can indicate a job applicant’s knowledge of veterinary caretaking. As mentioned above, some states provide veterinary assistant certification. For example, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) offers the certified veterinary assistant (CVA) designation. Similarly, the Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA) provides a CVA credential to qualifying vet assistants. Please check with local state boards of veterinary medicine to verify requirements and scope of practice restrictions.
Step 4: Maintain AVA certification (every two years). In order to keep AVA certifications active, vet assistants must complete 10 credits of continuing education (CE). Opportunities for CE include attending classes, conferences, online courses, and onsite seminars.
CAREER OUTLOOK FOR VET ASSISTANTS
There’s good news for aspiring veterinary assistants. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2021), openings in this profession are expected to swell 14 percent between 2020 and 2030, a stronger growth projection than what’s anticipated for all occupations during that time period (8 percent). The expected addition of 15,300 positions in this field is enhanced by increasing rates of pet ownership and pet expenditures across the US.
By illustration, the American Pet Products Association (APPA 2021-2022) found that 90.5 million homes had pets and in 2020, an incredible $109.6 billion is expected to be spent on American pets in 2021.
In addition to veterinary assisting, there are several careers that animal lovers can pursue with additional education, training, and professional certification. Here are a few animal healthcare careers for ambitious veterinary assistants to consider.
