How to Become a Veterinary Assistant: Education & Qualifications

<p>A veterinary assistant is an entry-level <a href="https://learn.org/directory/category/Health_Professions_and_Medical_Services/Veterinary_Sciences_and_Medicine.html">veterinary career</a> you can enter with little to no training or education. </p> <p>Veterinary assistants are typically the first people pet owners encounter at a vet's office. They often complete many tasks to keep the office running. </p> <p>If you're looking for an exciting, interesting, and challenging job working with animals, you'd potentially love being a veterinary assistant. </p> <h3 id="section---EducationAndTraining">Education and Training</h3> <p>All veterinary assistants have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Beyond that, no formal education is required. </p> <p>This distinguishes veterinary assistants from veterinary technicians, who have at least an associate degree. </p> <p>There is an optional certification offered by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians (NAVT). </p> <p>This certification isn't usually required by veterinary offices but might help a veterinary assistant find a higher-paying position. </p> <h3 id="section---JobDuties">Job Duties</h3> <p>Vet assistants are basically the lowest-ranking employees at a veterinary office and work under the supervision of veterinarians and vet techs. </p> <p>Because this is an entry-level position, a vet assistant's workday is extremely varied. They will help out in whatever way is needed. </p> <p><b>Their job duties consist of basic animal care duties including:</b> </p> <ul><li>administering medications and immunizations </li><li>collecting blood, tissue, or urine samples </li><li>bathing and exercising animals </li><li>cleaning and disinfecting wounds </li><li>restraining animals for exams or lab tests </li><li>caring for animals before and after procedures </li></ul><p><b>In addition to taking care of the animals that come for checkups and procedures, veterinary assistants perform office duties including:</b> </p> <ul><li>cleaning and sanitizing equipment </li><li>answering phones </li><li>scheduling appointments </li><li>maintaining veterinary records </li><li>communicating with pet owners </li></ul><p>Because they handle animals, veterinary assistants need strength and dexterity. Steady hands are often needed to hold animals still. </p> <h3 id="section---WorkEnvironment">Work Environment</h3> <p>Most veterinary assistants work in local veterinary offices and animal care clinics. Some also work in larger animal hospitals. </p> <p>Because they frequently deal with injured and frightened animals, a vet assistant's job can be dangerous at times. </p> <p>It's not uncommon for a veterinary assistant to be scratched or bitten by an animal in their care. </p> <p>Hours are varied. Some veterinary assistants work part-time, but for most, this is a full-time job. </p> <p>Depending on the hours when the office is open, veterinary assistants might work nights and weekends. Saturday work is common. </p> <h3 id="section---JobOutlook">Job Outlook</h3> <p>The BLS projects overall employment of veterinary assistants to grow 19% from 2021 to 2031. </p> <p>This growth rate is a lot higher than the average growth rate for all occupations, so it's never been a better time to start this career. </p> <p>An estimated 23,900 new openings for veterinary assistants are predicted each year. </p> <p>Demand for veterinary assistants is increasing in large part due to the increasing number of household pets across the country. </p> <p>States with the highest numbers of veterinary assistant job openings include Maine, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and North Carolina. </p> <h2 id="section---StepsToBecomingAVeterinaryAssistant">Steps to Becoming a Veterinary Assistant</h2> <p>If you're interested in becoming a veterinary assistant, follow the steps below. </p> <h3 id="section---Step1GetYourHighSchoolDiplomaOrTheEquivalent">Step 1: Get Your High School Diploma or the Equivalent</h3> <p>All veterinary assistants have either their <a href="https://learn.org/articles/earning_a_high_school_diploma_online.html">high school diploma</a> or an equivalent, such as a GED. It would be smart to really focus on your biology and math classes during high school. </p> <p>Most veterinary offices require a high school education for veterinary assistants. </p> <p>However, you might be able to get a part-time job as a receptionist in a veterinary office while you're still in high school. </p> <h3 id="section---Step2GainExperienceWorkingWithAnimals">Step 2: Gain Experience Working with Animals</h3> <p>Veterinary assistants work with a lot of different kinds of animals and need experience to understand how to handle them. </p> <p>Any experience you can get will help prepare you for a career as a veterinary assistant, such as working at a pet store. </p> <p>You might also pet sit or work as a dog walker to gain experience handling dogs and cats, which are the most common pets. </p> <p>Volunteering at a local animal shelter is another way to get some great experience working with animals. </p> <h3 id="section---Step3EarnCertificationToDistinguishYourself">Step 3: Earn Certification to Distinguish Yourself</h3> <p>The National Association of Veterinary Technicians (NAVT) offers voluntary veterinary assistant certification. </p> <p>While this certification isn't typically required by veterinary offices, it can help distinguish you from other applicants. </p> <p>Many local community colleges offer veterinary assistant programs that are designed to prepare you for certification. </p> <p>Taking one of these programs shows potential employers that you are dedicated and committed to your career. </p> <h3 id="section---Step4ContinueYourEducationToAdvance">Step 4: Continue Your Education to Advance</h3> <p>While working as a veterinary assistant, you might find that you'd like to move to a more advanced role in the veterinary field. </p> <p>With an <a href="https://learn.org/article_directory/Associate_Degree_FAQs.html">associate degree</a>, you can take on more responsibility as a veterinary technician. </p> <p>Many of these programs are offered online so you can take your courses while continuing your work as a veterinary assistant. </p> <h2 id="section---BecomeAVeterinaryAssistantToday">Become a Veterinary Assistant Today</h2> <p>Thankfully, you can become a veterinary assistant without much schooling and training. <a href="https://learn.org/article_directory/Career_Planning_FAQs.html">Start your career</a> by following these steps today.</p>