The Role of the Veterinary Technician

The Veterinary Technician works under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian in assisting with animal health care, in a wide variety of employment settings.
The Veterinary Technician is a valuable asset to the veterinary medical team. The role of a veterinary Technician in an animal health care setting is a diverse and exciting one. The technician is expected to be knowledgeable in many areas of veterinary care. Some of these areas include: surgery, anesthesia, radiology, bandaging, pharmacology, dentistry, nutrition, laboratory procedures, animal care and handling, client communication, receptionist skills, and office management. Knowledge of a variety of species of animals is essential as well.

Program Overview:

The Veterinary Technology program at Pierpont Community College was established in 1976 and is one of approximately 100 such programs and is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. This accreditation qualifies graduates of the program to take the National Board Exam and the licensing exam in every state to become Registered Veterinary Technicians. This is a two-year associate degree program and is not a pre-veterinary medicine course of study.

Students in the program receive training in all aspects necessary to become educated, competent and professional Veterinary Technicians. Areas of study include: anatomy & physiology, chemistry, microbiology, parasitology, animal diseases, animal care and handling, pharmacology and clinical procedures relative to farm and laboratory animals. These areas of study involve both classroom lectures as well as practical laboratories using live animals.

As part of the educational program students receive practical experience by doing two preceptorships in two separate veterinary facilities. The student does have a choice in the type of facility in which to gain clinical experience. These preceptorships provide the student with over 500 hours of actual work experience and also the potential for job references or recommendations.

 

Employment Opportunities:

The United States Labor Department, Bureau of Labor Statistics has ranked Veterinary Technicians and Technologists as on of the top 30 fastest growing employment opportunities in the US. It estimates a need for an additional 20,000 employees or a 40% increase by the year 2010.

Positions for graduate veterinary technicians are many and varied. The demand for veterinary technician professionals greatly exceeds the supply. The specialized training that is received allows for diversity when choosing areas of employment. The graduate will have employment in such areas as clinical medicine, laboratory animal medicine, emergency medicine, biological research, food inspection, zoological medicine, academic instruction, pharmaceutical sales, and government agencies.

The earning potential as a graduate of this program may range from $18,000.00 to $38,000.00 depending upon the career path chosen by the individual. the possibilities are endless, whether you choose working in a small or mixed animal practice or are interested in laboratory animal research, or education.

 

Job Placement

The veterinary technology program receives contacts from employers seeking technicians on almost a daily basis. Their requests come from all over the United States and are kept on file for the students to evaluate for potential employment. The job placement rate for graduates from this program is virtually 100% for graduates seeking employment in this field.