What is a Registered Veterinary Technician?

<p>Veterinary technicians assist licensed veterinarians with examinations, laboratory tests, medication administration, surgeries and other animal health treatment procedures. Licensing, registration and certification are nationally and state regulated, so it's important to check with the state in which you plan to work for education and credentialing requirements. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutThisOccupation">Important Facts About This Occupation</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>
<b>Work Environment</b>
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Clinic, lab, shelter, animal hospital, zoo</td></tr> <tr><td>
<b>On-the-job Training</b>
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None</td></tr> <tr><td>
<b>Similar Occupations</b>
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Animal care worker, medical technologist, surgical technician</td></tr> <tr><td>
<b>Median Salary (May 2021)*</b>
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$36,850 (veterinary technologists and technicians)</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---JobDuties">Job Duties</h3> <p>As a veterinary technician, your job duties may include: </p> <ul><li>Observing animals for physical and behavioral changes </li><li>Taking and developing x-rays </li><li>Recording case histories </li><li>Administering medications </li><li>Collecting laboratory samples and performing lab tests </li><li>Providing nursing care to animals </li></ul><p>You could specialize in a particular area of veterinary medicine, such as emergency care, dental technology, anesthesia or zoological medicine. </p> <h3 id="section---EducationRequirements">Education Requirements</h3> <p>Entry-level positions often call for a minimum of an associate's degree from a veterinary technician program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Accredited veterinary technician training is available through more than 190 programs across the U.S., including nine that are available online. Topics that you might study as part of your program include parasitology, veterinary anatomy and physiology, veterinary nursing, veterinary medical terminology and pharmacology. You'll also be trained in clinical topics such as anesthesia, surgical assistance and diagnostic imaging. </p> <h3 id="section---LicensingCertificationAndRegistration">Licensing, Certification and Registration</h3> <p>After you've completed your degree program, you may begin the credentialing process as regulated by your state. Most states determine competency through the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) that's administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). Upon completion of the VTNE, you may follow one or more of these state-determined credentialing procedures for licensure, registration or certification: </p> <ul><li>Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) - Registration is a state-regulated process by which you can qualify to become a member of a group of government-recognized animal health practitioners. </li><li>Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) - Licensing is nationally and state regulated and is one way of being credentialed to practice as a veterinary technician. </li><li>Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) - Certification is a voluntary credential determined by state regulations and controlled by private, nonprofit professional organizations or independent boards. </li></ul><h3 id="section---CareerOutlook">Career Outlook</h3> <p>Animal care professions are continuing to grow, and as technologies become more comprehensive and sophisticated, the field of veterinary technology is expected to rapidly expand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the outlook for veterinary technologists and technicians is higher than average for all U.S. professions, with a 20% increase in employment opportunities projected between 2021 and 2031.</p>