Animal lovers take note! If you are planning your future and think you would love working with animals, you might want to consider becoming a veterinary assistant.
There are a lot of benefits to being a vet assistant. The work is fulfilling and you get to be part of a team and help save animals. Every day brings something different; you’re not stuck sitting at a desk, and you don’t have to take a vow of poverty to do something rewarding. The average salary averages over $36K according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics.
Vet assistants are also in high demand. Job growth in animal care is projected to be at 19% over the next few years–much higher than other fields. Even more encouraging, vet assistants are needed no matter if you live. In a huge city or a small rural community, there are lots of animals in need of veterinary care.
Veterinarians and veterinary technicians rely on competent vet assistants, but there are positions in more than just veterinary practices. Any facility that houses and cares for animals, such as research labs, wildlife refuges, rescues and humane societies, often hires veterinary assistants. Animal care is a field that offers a great deal of variety, whether you want to work with pets or more unusual animals.
You don’t have to have a college degree to start a career as a veterinary assistant, but you should seriously consider attending vet assistant school in order to earn an education. Here are the top 10 things to think about as you weigh your decision:
1. A vet assistant school is a good investment
Unlike the large amount of debt you can rack up getting a college degree, vet assistant school tuition is much more affordable.
And there is a lot to learn! The variety of tasks vet assistants handle is impressive. In most practices, they offer support to both the vets and vet techs and the front office staff. They need to know how to work with animals safely and how to prepare exam rooms, but they also help with administrative duties and process medical records.
A vet assistant school prepares you to become a valuable part of the veterinary team.
2. Earning an education can help you get a job
As mentioned, there are a lot of jobs for veterinary assistants, but there are also plenty of people lining up to apply for them. So even though it may not be a job with any particular educational requirements beyond a high school diploma or GED, employers can still have their pick of qualified applicants.
Someone with meaningful experience working with animals or having a formal vet assistant education is going to have an advantage over someone who doesn’t. Earning an education could help you land a job much faster.
3. Vet assistant schools prepare you to work in a veterinary hospital
Employers are looking for work-ready hires, and a certificate of completion from an approved veterinary assistant school like Animal Behavior College can demonstrate that you know your way around a veterinary practice and are prepared.
ABC students learn:
- Office etiquette and hospital procedures
- Animal behavior and handling
- Examination room procedures
- Pharmacy and pharmacology
- Surgical preparation and assisting
- Small animal nursing
- Laboratory procedures
- Radiology ultrasound imaging and endoscopy
- Career Building
Busy vet clinics don’t have a lot of time to spend doing on-the-job-training for someone with no knowledge of the job. ABC graduates are ready to get right to work!
4. Vet assistant schools should provide real world experience
In addition to a comprehensive curriculum, students need the opportunity to get hands-on experience in a veterinary practice as part of their education. Spending time in a clinic lets you see what the work is really like. Working with a mentor and experiencing what the job is really like gives you confidence.
And, of course, being able to list that kind of hands-on experience in a veterinary practice on a job application is huge!
5. A hybrid vet assistant school is the way to go
By now, most people understand the value and convenience of online learning. It’s an affordable, practical alternative to attending a brick and mortar college: the coursework can fit into your existing schedule; you can work at your own pace; and there’s never any worry about finding a parking space (or being late to class because of that)!
However, an online course alone can never really prepare you for a career like vet assisting, which is very physical. Some things must be learned by experiencing them firsthand.
ABC solved that problem a long time ago. Our vet assistant course is a hybrid of online and in-person learning.
The online portion covers all the basics of the job. Once those stages of the curriculum are complete, students get invaluable hands-on experience with a mentor in their local area during the externship stage. ABC’s excellent curriculum, paired with the externship, offers students great preparation for working as a vet assistant.
6. Vet assistant schools are not colleges
Vet assistant schools should not be confused with colleges, which offer two- or four-year degree programs and at a cost of thousands of dollars per semester. Choosing Animal Behavior College, which enables students to earn a certificate in as little as 12 months, could be a better choice and a better return on your investment!
Earning a certificate of completion from ABC demonstrates mastery of the subject matter related to various animal-related careers, including vet assisting, animal training, pet grooming and more. We offer high quality animal career training that can be completed in about a year
7. You can complete your veterinary assistant certificate in 12 to 18 months
Taking classes online demands self-motivation. Life is full of distractions and demands, but by working at the recommended pace and staying organized and diligent, you can be ready to prove to employers that you have what it takes to be a great addition to their team in just 12 months!
8. Choose a NAVTA-approved school
When you are looking at vet assistant programs, you need to look at several things. What are the credentials of those who created the curriculum? Is there a good support system for helping students succeed? (ABC students have individual program managers who help them along the way.) Does the school have any alumni benefits?
Most important, however, is the school recognition by a veterinary organization? ABC is approved by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA).
To be approved by NAVTA, a program must follow strict guidelines regarding curriculum, externship parameters, and student academic progress. ABC is currently one of only six online vet assistant schools with NAVTA course approval.
Successful completion of our certificate program can give you a definite leg up in the job market! A certificate from a NAVTA-approved school carries more weight than one without it.
9. Becoming a vet assistant can be stepping stone
As rewarding as it can be, working in a veterinary practice can be demanding, both physically and emotionally. Not everyone is cut out for that kind of life.
Working as a vet assistant before committing time and tuition to a college degree to become a veterinary technician or a veterinarian gives you a chance to see whether a veterinary career is a good fit for you.
Many people who start out as a vet assistant wind up loving it so much they go on to get their vet tech degree.
10. You can enroll in ABC anytime
One of the best things about ABC’s program is that you never have to wait for the beginning of a new semester to enroll! Once you’ve made a decision to earn your vet assistant certificate, an ABC admissions counselor is always ready to help get you started.
Get Started Today!
If you’ve made the choice to be a vet assistant, congratulations! Working in animal healthcare is one of the most rewarding jobs there is.
At Animal Behavior College, we love helping people launch animal careers, and we’ve been doing it for over 25 years! Call 800-795-3294 to get started.
