The Best Career for an Animal Lover

By Kate McIntyre
Learning & Life Columnist
February 26, 2007

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Along with good pay, attractive benefits, and interesting responsibilities, job security ranks at the top of most people's list of important job qualities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of vet techs is expected to increase much faster than average through 2014, which means there are more and more jobs out there for you. If you want to get paid to indulge your love of animals--but don't have the resources for vet school--consider becoming a veterinary technician or technologist.

Technician or Technologist?

Veterinary technicians and technologists work in small and large animal vets' offices and research laboratories. Most work in private vets' offices under the supervision of veterinarians. Their job responsibilities include recording patient histories, performing medical tests, and diagnosing and treating medical conditions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, vet technicians and technologists make about $12 per hour on average. Most work 40 hours per week, though some might work as many as 50 hours.

Veterinary technicians and technologists have similar job responsibilities. The major difference between technicians and technologists is their training. Veterinary technicians tend to have two-year degrees in veterinary assistance or animal care from community colleges. Veterinary technologists generally earn degrees in veterinary technology at four-year colleges. In both cases, good vet tech programs offer lots of hands-on clinical and laboratory experience.

Do You Have What It Takes?

As a vet tech, every day you work with sick and hurt animals that might be loud or aggressive. If you are passionate about helping animals, embracing the tougher parts of the job should be easy. The single most important quality for a vet tech is a love of animals. Other important vet tech qualities include great communication skills, a team spirit, organization skills, and a highly-tuned attention to detail. A vet tech career offers great job security and the opportunity to spend your days helping and healing animals.

Sources:

"Veterinary Technologists and Technicians," U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author
Kate McIntyre, a fiction writer in Portland, Oregon, holds an M.F.A. in fiction writing from Oregon State University.

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