This is out of the blue, but is anyone here a veterinary technician? Or related/friends with one?

I'm in college and trying to figure out what to study. It's kinda confusing! I remember someone once told me you should choose a profession that, if you won the lottery, you would still study about. I think that's what that could be for me.

I love animals I always have. I have 3 dogs and if I had the means, I'd have way more. I'm also a huge science/health (I know laugh at the irony!) nerd, I would love studying about how to take care of them.

I'm just worried because I don't think there's many job oppurtunities for that profession in my area.

So do any of you have experience in this field?

i'm a veterinarian and once worked as a vet tech (non certified). I have sort of weird opinions about going to school as a vet tech. In many states only certified vet tech (ie went to school and passed a test) could do certain things due to state laws. Usually vet techs that are certified get paid a little more (but not necessarily that much more). I would highly talk to many vet techs...because from most of the ones i've talked to...wouldn't recommend school. Manyly for one reason..the amout of money you spend on schooling does not help due to the amount you get paid (vet techs do not make that much mone). However, if you are lucky enough to et a job with a university or specialty hospital..that would be different. What i can tell you is that a lot of vet tech stuff is on the job training...and many people can be taught that. But that being said...definately talk to many people who are certified vet techs...since the one's i've talked to have given me their opinion...but that's just for the state of GA and FL...it may be different in each state. Good luck. I worked for 4 yrs before going to vet school as a tech...and loved it.

after looking at my post..i sort of think it sounds negative. But i guess what i'm trying to say is this. When i worked as a tech...i LOVED it. I also started from the ground up...first in kennels, then a tech. I had NO experience when i started...but by the time i left..i was one of the head techs including getting animals ready for surgery, recovering animals, giving injections, reading fecals and bloodwork. So what i really was trying to say in the first post is that it is a wonderful career...but also it is a career that really doesn't make a lot of money for most. Most techs i know live pay check to pay check and do not have any savings. It is something you really have to look into..if the cost of school to become an RVT (reg. vet tech) is worth the end pay. In my opinion..i've worked with a lot of people that were trained from the ground up and worked better than some RVT's. So its sort of a matter of what you want. I would see if you could get a job as a Vet tech first...and see if you like it...who knows..if you find the right boss..they may be willing to help pay for school if you come back and work for them. Feel free to pm at any time about a career in veterinary medicine...i could go into a long diatribe LOL...but from what i've seen of your post..its looks like you love animals and would be a great person to be a vettech....GOOD LUCK!

I'm currently working as a (non-cert) vet tech as I apply to vet school, and I have had much the same experience as Gatorgal - the money isn't great, and the money isn't much better for certified techs. There are certain benefits to the training courses, but a lot of the experience comes from on-the-job training.

My general experience has been great - the work is very gratifying, and I have been happier in the last 6 months since I started this job than I was for the previous 4 years working in a lab getting my Masters. Equal workload, but much more satisfying at the end of the day. The downsides - as I said, the pay isn't great ($8-12/hour seems to be the range here in Kansas City), and the physical aspect can be taxing (restraining and lifting large dogs is a workout!). There's also an emotional aspect I wasn't entirely prepared for - I was ready to deal with the euthanasia of sick pets and the terminal illness aspects, but I wasn't quite braced for the situations where the owners are unable or unwilling to pay for the services the animal needs, and the vets are left with difficult decisions about the remaining options.

Do I enjoy the job? Absolutely. Do I feel it's worth a 2-year program? Perhaps not, unless you would like to go on to more specialized work than a general small-animal clinic (research settings, food animal or zoo work all tend to require certification, and pay better). Check the want ads and call around to vet clinics in your area - most will hire noncertified techs and keep you on part-time through tech school if you find that's what you want to do.

Wow,
That is very enlightening. I hope your view is a minority among vets. ( GatorgalstuckinGA )
I would think that in the interests of advancing animal care, most veterinarians would be in support of hiring educated professionals to work hands on with the patients.

The title of Registered Veterinary Technician is defined by my states Vet. Medical Licensing Board as someone who has proof of graduating from an approved 2 year program. By law, someone without a degree cannot claim to be an RVT. Although some individual clinics may refer to unregistered "tech's" as "veterinary technicians", we are trying to move for legislation to define these workers as "veterinary assistants" or "veterinary aides" to help distinguish between educated and uneducated. Although laws differ from state to state, most state vet tech associations are moving in similar directions.

The point is, it is a young profession and it is constantly growing and moving forward. The state vet tech associations are very active in trying to gain recognition for our profession, so it is an exciting time to get into veterinary technology. Yes, as Gatorgirl said, the pay is not the greatest, it has to be something that you do out of passion. And fortunately as pet owners in this country are becoming more apt to provide the best heath care for their pets, the pay for techs is rising depending on the area in which you live.

I never regret my decision to go into veterinary technology. I love what I do, it is a constantly changing field as new breakthroughs in health care are discovered. Cherryblossom: If you like learning new things and and like science this is definitely something you would like to do. If you have vet clinics in your area, I'm sure you will find work. I don't know where you live, but maybe a good place for you to start would be to contact your states vet tech association? I'm sure if you google it, they will have a site. They would be knowledgeable on work opportunities in your area.

well, i wasn't expecting to find this topic here, but there you go.

My Dad was a vet (now retired) and at the age of 16 he gave me a job at his clinic cleaning up poop. At the time, I wanted to be a vet just like my Dad, so it was good experience to see what he really did.

I worked my way up to be sort of like a non-certified vet tech. I pretty much did everything the one certified vet tech in the clinic did: during clinic hours I helped my Dad or the other vet during consultations, cleaned mouth and ears, gave shots, read fecals, did a bunch of tests (the instructions are on the box), and cleaned, cleaned, cleaned.

During surgery, I eventually preped and assisted, and a couple of times I neutered a cat (with my Dad's supervision, of course, and it's a really quick and easy procedure).

The only really bad thing I remember is that since we used Ketamine to drowsy up the cats sometimes we would get kids trying to get in or asking me for "Special K". But other than that, it was great.

kaeba- its not that i wasn't supporting hiring an RVT..i was just warning her what's out there (at least in my state). There's a lot of people that go to a program as an RVT with the expectation of much better pay..and maybe some states its better...but unfortantely from what i've seen in my area...most people end up owing so much for loans from school that the pay they get in the end hurts them tp the point that some can't meet day to day needs. Heck even i was shocked when i moved to the cooperate veterinary world..and thought that an RVT would make a lot more...and found out they didn't. But that's also why i told her to talk to those in her state...because each state is different.
But i'm glad that you don't resent your decison. Unfortuantely, maybe its just the areas i've worked in that the RVT's i've worked with do regret their decision.?????
and i'm glad that you are providing another veiwpoint...that's what great about this site..never know what you'll find here (:

My appologies gatorgirl,
I think i misinterpreted your response as you personally did not see the benefit of hiring someone with a degree as opposed to someone with out. I think in the midwest states in general, there is a big movement towards hiring registered techs or tech students and many clinics offer some incentive or tuition reimbursement.
I went to the community college here in town and it was very affordable. I think i had about 2000$ debt on credit cards after graduation and that was paid off long ago. I want to say it was roughly $50 / credit hour?

And the schooling for vet tech is very extensive and thorough,(which is one reason I think Cherryblossom would enjoy it) i'm not sure how many vets are aware unless they are teachers or practice owners. And it does make a difference toward pet care. I work in a lab setting right now, so i don't run into it as much, but there were quite a few times during my internship days that I would point out an observation of some sort that I recognized from one of my lectures to one of the uncertified techs and they would just give me a blank look and say it wasn't anything important. I'm not saying they are bad tech's, but I'm just pointing out that an education for a vet tech is very valuable, especially in giving the best care to the pets. I know people can dumb it down and say you can just read instructions off a box, but there is SO much more valuable information you learn in tech school. And with the technology in the field growing and changing all the time, it makes an education even more valuable.

starting pay for this area of the world seems to be $12-15 depending on the clinic and on experience.
I guess my final word to Cherryblossom if she decided to work at a clinic would be to definitely get some kind of further education, especially if you plan to stay in the field. It will only benefit the animals you are trying to help.
I will say this though, if you plan on getting in to vet school, i wouldn't bother with tech school first in that case, but if you are going to stay on as a tech , get the registration or certification. Just like everything else in the country, and education is going to give you an edge. The important thing is to get educated, it's a medical field and there is a TON of information relevant to the job.

kaebea - no worries...i do like having RVT's don't get me wrong...what i was trying to state is what most RVT's i've worked with have told me...unfortunately in this area...the highest i've seen is usually aournd 12$ (and that's after some time) But yes the schooling may interest her...i was just warning her of what i've heard. I also work for a company right now that tried get the petnurses (non RVT's) to get education. So it really depends on who you work for. Some states also have a limit on how many rvts can be at one clinic (at least GA does) depending on the number of vets. I was trying to make my point two sided...but it appears i did a poor job. Just wanted to convey pros and cons to both sides...and honestly...the rvts i've worked with so far...do sometimes wonder if it was worth going to school...but like i said..maybe the state...sorry to say but at times GA doesn't always impress me in so many different aspects LMAO...still too much southern country mentality?????

i think its important to do the research and see what's all out there...and then decide.