Vet assistant job requirements?

Can anyone here tell me what a vet assistant's job entails, what education/training is required, what the average pay is, and whether health insurance is typically provided?

Also, how does one go about getting a job as a vet assistant? I never see any advertisings for that job? Am I just supposed to ask the local clinics if they're hiring? What if it's a new veterinary clinic that hasn't opened yet? How would I go about inquiring about a job there?

I'm asking because there's a new vet clinic opening in a few months and the owner is the vet I used to take my cats to. I had been considering a job as an assistant but was unsure if it's right for me. But I would love to get a job at this new clinic. I just don't know how. I want to let the owner know asap before other people start applying. I figure I have a good shot at getting a job there so long as no formal training or education is required.

Around here, they are called Vet Techs and you most likely need schooling. Not sure if it is a BS degree. I think if you had some experience in animal care, you might look into an apprenticeship because I know you need a TON of hours to be an official vet tech. Basically, you are a step down from a vet, like an RN is to a Doctor.

Sorry, I just know a little about it because I was looking into it myself.

Good luck....

Same as above we have vet nurses who also have to undergo training both coursework and workplacements.
If its similar to here you could go into the vet practice and enquire if they would take you on as an apprentice whilst you gained the qualifications and lead you to a paid job.

Or are they just after a receptionist 'come' helper in which case i presume valid work/animal experience would suffice with a clerical background.

At the clinic I currently go to they have licensed veterinary technicians who require schooling. Then there are veterinary assistants. The female assistants sometimes works as a receptionist. But I don't think these assistants require any formal education or training. That's what I'm interested in, for now. I know that the assistants deal more with the patients and owners then the licensed techs, who I rarely see.

Originally Posted by kh2b1

I never see any advertisings for that job? I think here they are called Vet Techs, try searching for that. Try Monster.com, or Yahoo Jobs. Am I just supposed to ask the local clinics if they're hiring? Why not just give them a call and ask them, or check their websites? What if it's a new veterinary clinic that hasn't opened yet? How would I go about inquiring about a job there?

I'm asking because there's a new vet clinic opening in a few months and the owner is the vet I used to take my cats to.

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The vet you knew is opening the new clinic? Is there any way you could contact them and ask them if they are hiring?

Assistant requires computer and general office skills. The rest most vets train their assistants to do.

A tech is different, has more to do with animal care, and does require a license.

If you've done office work before, ask your vet. While a vet always needs techs, they need someone upfront handling the business side of things, too.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Assistant requires computer and general office skills. The rest most vets train their assistants to do.

A tech is different, has more to do with animal care, and does require a license.

If you've done office work before, ask your vet. While a vet always needs techs, they need someone upfront handling the business side of things, too.

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There are correspondence and online course s for vet assistant ... but as mentioned most vets will do on the job training for it .

Tech comes in many forms from a 6 to 9 month course up to 6 yrs(this is called something else but is an extension of the bachelors degree in vet tech) worth of schooling... Many vets will help with this if you start as a assistant and show promise.
Laws on Tech definition and schooling needs vary by state and occasionally city to city .... In my area you can work as a Tech with NO formal training but to be licensed need to work for 5 years as a tech to sit for the board exam... The 5 yr requirement is the same unless you have the BA or BS degree then it is two yrs.

There is a vet tech program at our local community college. Not sure how long it takes; I'm thinking theirs is a two year program. They do clinical rotations at different places, including the county animal shelter.

A vet assistant and Vet tech are two different occupations. A vet assistant is usually trained in the clinic, doesn't require a college education, and pay sometimes depends on the state you live in. It does pay less than a vet tech. I am training as a vet assistant right now. I am learning how to take temperatures, pulses, respirations, how to take information on a patient and prepare the Dr. for her appointment, hold animals while they are being worked on removing catheters medicating etc. An assistant is like a lesser version of a vet tech.

To be a vet tech you must go to school to get a degree. An Associates or bachelors and they do more technical things like putting in catheters, doing dentals etc.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Assistant requires computer and general office skills. The rest most vets train their assistants to do.

A tech is different, has more to do with animal care, and does require a license.

If you've done office work before, ask your vet. While a vet always needs techs, they need someone upfront handling the business side of things, too.

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When I was 27 I was hired as an office assistant at a vet hospital, but within a week one of the vets decided I was assistant material and began training me for that.

As it turned out I was not cut out for working in a vet office at all, I was so depressed every night I would just go home and cry for hours.

But to the OP I think your plan is a good one, by all means contact the vet. If you felt a rapport as a client, there's a good chance that may carry over into a more professional relationship.

Good luck and let us know what happens!

Originally Posted by otto

When I was 27 I was hired as an office assistant at a vet hospital, but within a week one of the vets decided I was assistant material and began training me for that.

As it turned out I was not cut out for working in a vet office at all, I was so depressed every night I would just go home and cry for hours.

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Otto, what was so depressing? I'd be afraid that the sick animals would end up depressing me and that the owners would anger me with their stupidity. Plus, as a pet owner myself, I have seen veterinarians make huge mistakes. As an assistant or tech, I would probably see things I didn't agree with and I'm not sure how the veterinarian would feel about me speaking out (in private, of course).

I'm pretty certain I don't want a career as a vet assistant or tech. But I do need a job asap. I've thought about this and what I've concluded is that I could only work as a vet assistant if I was working with/for this particular doctor. I have social anxiety disorder and so any job is going to be a nightmare for me. So I guess for right now, I feel like I could only hold a job if I was working with someone I felt comfortable with, like this doctor. Plus, I already know how to do stuff like how to give sub-q fluids and take a pulse and respiratory rate. Also, I don't get grossed out about cleaning up animal messes.

I'm thinking that maybe if I like the job I could get the tech license and maybe get a degree in information technology all at the same time. Unfortunately, I have to plan my career choice around my social anxiety disorder, which is really hard to do.

Originally Posted by otto

But to the OP I think your plan is a good one, by all means contact the vet. If you felt a rapport as a client, there's a good chance that may carry over into a more professional relationship.

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So how should I contact this vet? A few months ago they quit working at the animal clinic where I met them. I do have their home address, but they didn't give it to me. I also have their cell phone number from a few years ago when they called me when my cat had an emergency. They also have a Facebook page, but it doesn't look like they use it much and I know they aren't technologically savvy.

Since vet assistants often double as receptionist and are the ones who settle the clients into the exam room/chat with them - are you sure you could handle that level of interaction?

If not you may see if you can get a job as a kennel hand somewhere. More cleaning, less people.

If you still want to try for assistant then work your way towards tech, check your state requirements. I think one needs proper schooling or 5 years experience + license where I live.

There is a poster at my clinic with a picture of all office staff and their pets captioned by job title. It is behind the counter so I've only glanced at it, and from memory I was surprised that nearly every other member seemed to have a different job. Lol. Will take a closer look this week again, but I'm pretty sure there are way more titles, if not actual positions, than simply Vet Assistant and Tech.

I'm starting to get confused. I guess job titles and duties depends on location and the particular clinic.

At the clinic I currently go to they have a receptionist, a vet assistant, and a vet tech. From what I've seen, there are significantly more assistants than anything else. The assistants aren't licensed (I checked) and they supposedly can't draw blood, but can assist on dental procedures. I know there is one licensed tech there, but I don't know if they have more. The tech can draw blood, but I don't know what else they do.

The assistants are actually referred to as techs. And I suspect some of the more experienced assistants may be allowed to draw blood, but I don't know. Some of the female assistants also double as receptionists when they are shorthanded. I suspect that the licensed techs do more stuff behind the scenes whereas the assistants are more visible.

At the first clinic I ever went to, they didn't even have any licensed techs. All they had was one veterinarian and one receptionist/vet assistant who had no formal education or training. They were usually high school students. I have no idea what they were allowed to do, I shudder to think.

It seems like the bigger clinics have vet assistants that don't have to perform any receptionist duties.

I can't be a receptionist. I would have a nervous breakdown after 5 minutes of dealing with people.

Originally Posted by kh2b1

I can't be a receptionist. I would have a nervous breakdown after 5 minutes of dealing with people.

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I'm sorry. This would be very very hard for you as you do have to deal with people. Is it just dealing with people period or is it that you just get uncomfortable in some situations?
I have some issues with the latter, I HATE making calls and chatting on the phone, but am perfectly fine provided there's a "script" and I know exactly how the conversation will go. Likewise I'm terrible at small talk, I get very uncomfortable because I cannot carry the conversation forward if people are chatting about mundane daily things - talk about animals or one of my hobbies, science, etc and I'm the perfect conversationalist.

If you think you can work on this it's really good to try, but don't get yourself stuck in a situation you'll get overwhelmed with. (that's what makes people panic) Also, remember most people coming into a vet aren't going to be your typical irate hard to deal with customers you'd get elsewhere.

Like I suggested, try kennel hand somewhere? Or see if you can look into pet grooming and work for someone else. You'd do the grunt work being new, but that would mean more in back than front.

I have social anxiety disorder and so any job is going to be a nightmare for me

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I have the same issue, yet you'd be surprised at how at ease I was dealing with people after I knew my job and became comfortable in my role. I do still deal with my anxieties a lot in various ways, but i am learning to control them.

I also work as a kennel worker at my vet office aside from working as a vet assistant. It IS a lot of grunt work, and it also is the job that is minimum wage (hard to live off that wage), but you interact the least with clients.

I could handle talking to people in the exam room, but I could never perform any receptionist type duties. I could call people on the phone if I had privacy. But I'm thinking that the vet who would be the owner of the practice would be willing to cut me a bit of slack at first. I could be wrong though. I believe their new practice is going to be more like a family environment rather than a more professional environment like so many other vet clinics. I think that's part of the reason they decided to open their own practice.

Anyway, did we ever decide how I should inquire about getting a job there? Should I send a brief letter to their house asking if they're opening their practice, if they have an opening, and tell them I'm interested? Is that ok? Do I need to be more professional? I figured that since I already have a friendly relationship with them, that I wouldn't need to be so professional in asking about the job. Now if they wanted a resume, then I would be totally professional. Opinions?

I would actually go into see them, only because if you are applying for a job like that, they often wants to see how the person is in person. It also shows the person is serious about putting a little effort to get the job and is interested about learning what their facility is like.

Originally Posted by Lady Rowan

I would actually go into see them, only because if you are applying for a job like that, they often wants to see how the person is in person. It also shows the person is serious about putting a little effort to get the job and is interested about learning what their facility is like.

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But they're not open yet. I don't even know if they have a location yet. It opens in a couple months and I want to make sure I get that job (assuming there is one) before anyone else. The only reason why I know they're opening their own practice is because they listed themselves as owner of a practice that will be opening in a few months on their Facebook page.

Originally Posted by kh2b1

But they're not open yet. I don't even know if they have a location yet. It opens in a couple months and I want to make sure I get that job (assuming there is one) before anyone else. The only reason why I know they're opening their own practice is because they listed themselves as owner of a practice that will be opening in a few months on their Facebook page.

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Oh I forgot about that! In this case then yes, that is the best thing to do probably