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The Complete Guide to Becoming A Veterinary Technologist and Technician
What you'll really do, what you'll really earn, and whether you'll really want this job — before you spend a dollar on school.
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Does a Veterinary Technologist and Technician Actually Do?
Let's start by clearing up a misunderstanding that trips up almost everyone who looks into this career. The title might say "veterinary technologist and technician," but this is not the job of an assistant, and it's not a "mini-vet" either. You are the person who makes the medicine actually happen. In most veterinary hospitals, the veterinarian is the one who diagnoses, prescribes, and performs surgery. You are the one who does almost everything else that keeps those animals alive, safe, and comfortable. That's a big difference, and it matters for how you should think about the work.
Where You'll Work and Who You'll Work With
Most veterinary technologists and technicians — around 80 percent, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data — work in veterinary clinics and animal hospitals. The other roughly 20 percent are scattered across research laboratories, zoos, shelters, boarding facilities, pharmaceutical companies, and even the military. But the overwhelming reality of this job, especially in the first several years, takes place inside a clinic, which is a smaller world than most people picture.
A typical companion-animal clinic might have between five and fifteen employees. You'll work alongside one to four veterinarians, a few other technicians or technologists, maybe a kennel assistant or two, and a receptionist or practice manager up front. The atmosphere is more like a busy small business than a sterile hospital. The phone rings constantly. Dogs bark from the kennels in the back.