Becoming a Certified Vet Assistant Has Its Benefits
High school graduation season has come to a close, and many new grads are thinking about what is next. Additionally, those already in the workforce are looking to make a career change that is a little more in line with their passions. For the animal lovers among both groups, a career helping animals is probably on their minds.
Animal medicine is a popular choice because it provides the ability to assist in the well-being of animals of various species. Whether you’re a new graduate or someone looking to make a career change, getting certified as a veterinary assistant is the perfect first step toward a rewarding career in the veterinary field.
Why start as a veterinary assistant?
As an entry-level position, becoming a certified veterinary assistant takes less time than other roles in the veterinary field. Yet, vet assistants have a variety of job responsibilities. Working as a vet assistant could help you decide which aspect of animal medicine you’d like to focus on pursuing. The job duties of a veterinary assistant include, but are not limited to:
- Administrative work: Checking patients in and out, filing paperwork, taking calls and scheduling appointments.
- Animal handling: Restraining and calming animals during appointments, basic grooming (i.e. nail trimming, ear cleaning), administering oral medicines, caring for in-house patients (i.e. exercising, feeding, etc.) and assessing changes in animal health status.
- Prep and cleanup: Sanitizing checkup rooms and making sure they’re fully stocked, preparing and sterilizing surgical tools, and maintaining holding areas for in-house patients and ensuring they’re clean and disinfected.
Getting a chance to work in several different areas of the veterinary office is the best way to decide what you enjoy most and what career in animal medicine or animal care you should pursue. Do you want to become a lab technician, veterinary technician or veterinarian? Working as a veterinary assistant will help you choose a specific path, so you can work toward those goals while also getting valuable in-clinic experience that is important to any career in the veterinary field.
This experience is especially vital to those hoping to become a veterinarian and get their doctorate in animal medicine. Not only will working and learning in a clinic early on give you a leg up in veterinary school with medical terminology, but it will also give you real world context for what is being taught in class. As a bonus to all this invaluable experience, you will be making money while pursuing your degree, helping aid in school costs and living expenses.
Why you should become certified
There are many reasons why seeking a veterinary assistant certification is important. The knowledge and experience you gain is going to prepare you for almost any animal job environment you find yourself working in. Whether it’s in an animal shelter, a private clinic or an emergency animal hospital, you’ll be able to quickly acclimate to the job.
Get your foot in the door
Being certified as a veterinary assistant is also a great way to get your foot in the door. Working with animals is a popular career choice, so there is a bit of competition when it comes to applying for animal jobs. Having a certification can give you the proof you need to show that you are experienced and won’t need intensive training to function at your job. Employers are more likely to welcome your knowledge of animal behavior and medical terminology, and won’t have to worry so much about teaching you everything.
Flexible online programs
Acquiring certification is more accessible than ever before with the availability of online veterinary assistant programs. These types of programs allow you to take classes and study around your schedule. Online classes are mostly self-paced too, allowing you to take the time you need to complete the course. You will take classes online and also get real world experience through externship hours in an animal hospital setting.
Enjoy a rewarding career with animals
Becoming a veterinary assistant is a start to a rewarding career working with animals. The benefits are endless, regardless if you stay an assistant or plan on pursuing a clinical degree, as you’re working for the ultimate goal of healing our animal friends. Whether this is your first career choice, or you’re making a drastic change, it is bound to be a career you can be proud of.
Hi – My name is Sheryl and am 60 years young. I would love to work with animals and find this is a career I am interested in but feel my age my be against me. Not sure how job searching would work for me.
You’re never too old to get an education, and no one will ever stop you. I am 58, and I want to go.
I would love to take aome online classes but ia currently enrolled at another school. If it is allowed i would still love to take some courses online while at this school.
Hi Tshrian, thank you for contacting us. That is definitely allowed with us! Give us a call at (800) 795-3294 to learn more.
This is a dream of mine. Is there any way to get information sent to me via mail?
Hi Lisa! Please fill out our contact form, or visit http://www.animalbehaviorcollege.com
You can request email contact.
why didn’t the lady who is 60 get a reply??? Makes me wonder if we’re too old or this is possibly ageism at work
there are lots of people who didn’t get answered including you
Hi I happen to be a cancer patient and cannot go to school but was wondering if I could take a course to teach me more about cats and their medical problems I volunteered with a cat rescue for twelve years and still do but still dont have all the answers for example one of my own cats just past away because of a tumor in the abdomen and it took the vets down here close to three months before they could figure out what the problem was and by that time it was too late to save her please let me know if I can take this course by correspondence online without having to go to school and how much would it cost in monthly payments thanks
If the classes are on-line, how do we do the clinical hours? Does your school qualify for FAFSA or have a financial assistance program?
How much does the vetreanian assisstant class cost and is it it Canadian or Us funds? What method of payment do you accept. Do you accept Paypa.?
Hi i am an animal lover. But I’m 60 years old now. How would a Vet feel about hiring someone my age? And how long is the course for? Can i get financial assistance for this course? Can you please answer these questions please. So i can know whether or not to enroll in this course.
Thank you Vickie Doucet
Hello there, I found your site by way of Google at the same time as searching for a similar subject, your website came up, it appears to be like great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
of course like your web-site but you have to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very troublesome to tell the truth however I will certainly come back again.
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with valuable information to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our entire community will be grateful to you.
I simply wished to thank you very much once more. I am not sure the things that I might have made to happen without the type of strategies contributed by you on my field. It became a hard matter in my opinion, nevertheless observing a new specialized mode you managed that made me to cry with contentment. I am just grateful for your advice and sincerely hope you recognize what a great job you happen to be doing educating some other people with the aid of your blog. I know that you’ve never met all of us.
Valuable information. Lucky me I found your web site by accident, and I am shocked why this accident did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
I just could not depart your website before suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard information a person provide for your visitors? Is gonna be back often in order to check up on new posts
Thanks a lot for sharing this with all of us you really know what you are talking about! Bookmarked. Please also visit my web site =). We could have a link exchange contract between us!
I do agree with all the ideas you have presented in your post. They are very convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are very short for novices. Could you please extend them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.
Would you be all in favour of exchanging hyperlinks?
It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d without a doubt donate to this excellent blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will share this blog with my Facebook group. Chat soon!
You made some first rate points there. I looked on the internet for the problem and located most people will go together with together with your website.