Steps On How To Get Your Veterinary Technician Certification

Veterinary technicians play a crucial part in keeping animals healthy by providing preventative care, curative treatment, medical intervention, surgical treatments, and rehabilitation. These individuals often operate under the direction of veterinary doctors and undertake a variety of supportive responsibilities with the underlying purpose of maintaining animal wellbeing.

If you want to work as a veterinary technician, you must first complete your school and obtain state certification. In this post, we will discuss what a veterinary technician is, what jobs they perform, the four distinct certification options available, and how you may obtain your qualifications in six steps.

What is a vet tech?

A veterinary technician (or vet tech) is a trained animal care specialist who collaborates with veterinarians, veterinary technologists, and veterinary assistants to enhance patient health and wellness. They work as clinical nurses and help veterinarians treat a variety of animal species, including wildlife, domesticated pets, and cattle.

Veterinary technicians can work in veterinary practices, research institutions, zoos, wildlife medical institutions, private industry, the military, animal health clinics, pharmaceutical sales, and other settings, depending on their interests and available opportunities.

What does a vet tech do?

Vet techs are responsible for a variety of clinical activities in veterinary practices. They are responsible for animal patient intake, physical examinations and assessments, medicine administration, client education, laboratory work, specimen collection, radiological examination, surgical nursing, and other duties as needed.

A vet tech’s clinical responsibilities may vary depending on where they live and the qualification they hold—some states allow vet techs to conduct advanced clinical care activities, while others only allow vet techs to function as clinical assistants. Keeping this in mind, below are a few instances of jobs that a vet tech may perform on a daily basis:

• Collecting patient history
• Initial examination
• Taking vital signs
• Drawing blood
• Blood testing and urinalysis
• Emergency first aid
• Laboratory procedures
• Taking X-rays
• Administering medication
• Anesthesia
• Educating clients
• Preparing animals for surgery
• Assisting veterinarian in surgery
• Sterilizing diagnostic and surgical equipment

Veterinary technicians may deal with wildlife, domesticated pets, rural livestock, zoo animals, or species that dwell in research facilities, depending on their work setting. With the advancement of the veterinary profession, vet techs can now specialize in a certain area of veterinary care or work with a specific animal species. The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) now recognizes the following vet tech specialties:

• Internal medicine
• Emergency and critical care
• Anesthesia
• Dentistry
• Behavior
• Zoological medicine
• Equine nursing
• Clinical practice
• Animal nutrition
• Clinical pathology

What vet tech certification options exist?

Vet techs often go through school programs and formal training to earn certification that permits them to work in the industry. There are four main types of veterinary technician certificates that prepare individuals to do comparable responsibilities. These certificates are almost equivalent in that they allow vet techs to play the same position, however the specific certification an individual gets is often determined by the standards set by their state of residence.

As previously stated, certain jurisdictions’ credentials allow vet techs to perform specific clinical procedures, whereas others merely authorize them to perform supportive responsibilities under the supervision of a veterinarian. Here’s a basic overview of the certification possibilities accessible to potential veterinary technicians across the country:

Registered veterinary technician

A registered veterinary technician (RVT) is a professional who is listed on a registry of practicing veterinarians in a specific state or region. Some states require RVT credentials, although the majority do not, because the RVT credential does not specifically require candidates to undertake testing or training before being eligible for registration. Despite this, the majority of professionals who pursue an RVT pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE).

Licensed veterinary technician

A licensed veterinary technician (LVT) is often the highest level of certification that a vet tech can earn in a given area. LVT credentials recognize individuals who have completed certain training requirements, passed national tests, and obtained licensure from their local governing body in order to practice veterinary medicine. Professionals who live in states that require licensure usually get LVTs.

Certified veterinary technician

A certified veterinary technician (CVT) credential is one that professionals can voluntarily get from independent certifying authorities, such as private firms. Professionals who acquire CVTs must normally pass the VTNE and, if desired, register with their respective states. CVTs are popular in states where veterinary technicians are not required to be certified to practice.

Veterinary technician specialist

A veterinary technician specialist (VTS) is a specialized qualification for vet techs who want to develop their careers after accumulating expertise in the profession. VTS credentials enable technicians to work in emergency care, critical care, anesthesia, dentistry, surgery, and other disciplines, as indicated above.

How to earn a vet tech certification

The specific path you should take to obtain your vet tech certification will be determined by situational criteria such as your school level, professional experience, and the regulations set by your state’s local veterinary association. Keeping these issues in mind, there are a few critical actions you should take as you pursue your credentials. Here are six steps to acquire your veterinary technician certification:

1. Earn your high school diploma or equivalent

The first step toward earning your vet tech certification is to complete your high school diploma or similar degree. Most approved veterinary technician programs require candidates to have completed high school before enrolling.

This is because successfully finishing high school can provide you with a strong foundation of skills and knowledge in areas such as physics and mathematics, both of which are essential for working in the veterinary profession. Furthermore, your high school education may help you acquire important soft skills, such as communication and time management, that will be useful in the workplace.

2. Research your state’s licensing requirements

While in high school, look into your state’s licensing requirements for veterinary technicians. Each state sets its own conditions for candidates. For example, in California, vet techs must graduate from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA) approved RVT program or a California Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) curriculum, pass the VTNE, and complete several clinical rotations to earn experience. Other states, like as Florida, have fewer criteria for becoming a certified veterinarian technician.

As a result, you should perform research on your state’s criteria to ensure that you are following all of the necessary procedures to obtain your certification. This can help you gain professional status while saving time and energy on qualifications that your state does not recognize.

3. Attend an accredited veterinary technician school

Most states, regardless of their unique certification criteria, require candidates to complete an AMVA-accredited veterinary technician school where they can study vital ideas and develop key skills for success in their employment. These programs normally span two years and culminate in candidates getting an associate’s degree.

Vet tech programs are offered in both in-person and online formats at a variety of educational institutions, including technical schools, community colleges, and four-year universities. While a two-year program is the most popular, some individuals pursue their bachelor’s degree in a four-year program, depending on their specific career aspirations.

4. Take and pass the veterinary technician national examination

After graduating from a recognized veterinary technician program, you can sit for the American Association of Veterinary State Boards’ veterinary technician national examination (VTNE). The computed-based test is administered three times per year and lasts around three hours in total. It contains 170 multiple-choice questions.

The VTNE evaluates candidates in nine different areas: pharmacy and pharmacology, surgical nursing, dentistry, laboratory procedures, anesthesia, animal care and nursing, pain management and analgesia, emergency medicine, critical care, and diagnostic imaging. You can prepare for the exam by taking AASVB’s online sample tests or accessing study materials on the VTNE website.

5. Complete any clinical hours required by your state

Some states require veterinary technicians to complete a certain number of clinical hours before being certified. According to the requirements you established throughout your research in step three, you should complete any clinical hours required for certification.

These clinical hours will provide you with the hands-on experience required to comprehend the inner workings of the veterinary sector and excel in the role of vet tech. Some veterinary technician programs allow candidates to complete clinical rotations while also earning their degree, which speeds up the certification process.

6. Apply for your credentials and register as a veterinary technician

You can apply for your credentials once you have graduated from an AMVA-accredited vet tech program, passed the VTNE, and completed any clinical hours required by your state’s regulatory agency.

Once you’ve been accepted and licensed as a veterinarian technician in your state, you can register as a professional in the field and appear on a list of practicing veterinarians. Your certification and registration will enable you to seek employment in a variety of veterinary and animal care settings.