If you love animals, you might want to someday work for a veterinary clinic or hospital, which is called a practice. Here are a few veterinary careers that get to work with pets every day!
Veterinarians
Veterinarians are animal doctors, who make sick pets well and teach pet owners how to keep their pets healthy.
Veterinarians are life-long students. They work hard to continue to learn about new medical diseases and treatments. Veterinarians have to like pets and people too! They must be able to explain a pet’s health and treatment options to the owner. Veterinarians:
- Diagnose diseases
- Treat illnesses
- Help keep pets healthy by providing preventive care (like vaccines)
- Perform surgery and dental procedures
- Prescribe medicine
Find out more information about veterinarians. [Link to Veterinarian article]
Veterinary Practice Managers
This person is in charge of the business side of the animal hospital. Veterinary practice managers get to know many clients – and pets! They form a strong bond, getting to know animals when they are young through old age. These relationships are very rewarding. They also help make the practice better by listening to workers and clients. Veterinary practice managers help practices succeed by:
- Sending surveys to clients to see what they think
- Helping solve problems between coworkers, clients and staff
- Rewarding employees for good work
- Attracting more pet owners with advertisements or marketing
- Finding and hiring good workers
- Getting the best health benefits possible for employees
- Making sure employees have interesting work
- Finding everyone the best training
- Charging fair prices
- Creating ways for the practice to grow
Find out more information about veterinary practice managers. [Link to Veterinarian article]
Veterinary Technicians
Veterinary technicians are animal nurses that can be trained on the job or can go to college to get a two year degree or a four year degree and go on to be credentialed. Credentialed means they take a test that makes them either a licensed, certified or registered veterinary technician. A veterinary technician’s jobs can include:
- Restraining pets (keeping pets from moving)
- Drawing blood
- Looking at blood, urine and other samples under a microscope
- Taking X-rays
- Helping give checkups
- Helping put pets to sleep for surgery (anesthesiology)
- Placing urinary and intravenous (through the vein) catheters
- Cleaning your pet’s teeth
- Scrub nurse
- Educating pet owners on anything from diet to dental care
- Managing a hospital
- Supporting the veterinarian throughout their daily schedule
Find out more information about veterinary technicians. [Link to Technicians article]
Veterinary Technician Assistants
A veterinary technician assistant is part of the veterinary team that provides support to the veterinary technician’s daily schedule. This can include things such as restraint for blood draws, surgical preparation of the surgery suite and cleaning of the hospital facilities.
This might be right for you are interested in veterinary medicine, but aren’t sure. It’s a great place to find out! You should have some of the same qualities as a veterinary technician, including:
- Aren’t bothered by things like blood and animal waste
- Enjoy animals, people, science and helping others
- Are confident and good at communicating with those around you
Find out more information about veterinary technician assistants. [Link to article]