What is the difference in a vet tech and a vet assistant?

Answer 1

A veterinarian technician is like what a nurse is to a doctor. To be a vet tech it takes 2-4 years of school after high school. They do a lot of the appointments and check ups and assist in surgery. A veterinarian assistant is like a secretary to a vet hospital. They do all the finicial and appointment stuff with the owners of the animals and then when owners show up for their appointments, a veterinarian assistant will love on the dog/cat/other, weigh them, and then bring them to a room for a vet tech or actual vet to look at.

Answer 2

The difference between a veterinary techician and a veterinary assistant are the education and credentialling requirements.

No state in the US has any educational requirements for working as a veterinary ASSISTANT. This is an entry level-position in a veterinary facility and training is generally done on the job. Because most training is done on the job it is often very cursory and lacks the depth and breadth of a formal education. Veterinary assistants are generally taught the basic how-to but not the why or when you would do something different. They tend to do basic tasks such as animal restraint, basic care and sanitation, assist in patient monitoring, prepare instruments for use in surgeries or daily treatments, they may give medication as prescribed by the veterinarian, collect biological samples and perform basic diagnostic tests like reading fecals. Veterinary assistants are generally not the equivalent of a formally educated veterinary technician. For example, many assistants can place an IV catheter and hook up a fluid line to it, but they generally don't know how to calculate the appropriate amount of fluids to give in a 24 hour period to maintain hydration, replace lost fluids from vomiting/diarrhea, calculate the appropriate number of drops per hour to provide the correct amount of fluids or understand the different types of IV fluids available and when each type is appropriate to a given situation. They may monitor anesthesia but they generally don't know how the different anesthetic drugs they are giving affect the body other than producing sedation or anesthesia---do they cause a drop in blood pressure that needs to be compensated for, do they make it more likely for animals that have seizures to have one, do they need to change the anesthetic protocol to compensate for heart, liver or kidney issues in a given patient. Veterinary assistants generally require much more supervision than a credentialed veterinary technician

There are voluntary educational opportunities, however these are not equivalent to a college degree program and are instead basic vocational training. There is no over-sight by a professional body to ensure that the majority of these programs provide adequate or correct information. There is no requirement for hands-on training and instructors often have little or no experience or education in the veterinary field. There are a handful of certification programs that are designed and approved by veterinary professional organizations or that are offered by colleges which also offer accredited veterinary technology programs and these are better choices for someone who wants to be a veterinary assistant. All of these programs offer certification as a veterinary assistant, but this certification is not legally recognized or required by any state in the US.

The other position on a veterinary staff that is often confused with a veterinary assistant is a veterinary technician. Veterinary technicians are required (in most states) to have a 2 year degree in veterinary technology from an AVMA accredited veterinary technology program, to have passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam and a state exam in order to be credentialed. They are also generally required to attend a set number of continuing education courses each year to keep up with changes in veterinary medicine. Veterinary technicians are educated in veterinary anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, animal husbandry, surgical assisting, anesthesia, medical nursing, diagnostics such as radiology and ultrasonography, clinical pathology, parasitology, medical terminology and record keeping, biological collection and sample handling and preperation, etc. They can also specialize in areas such as emergency and critical care, internal medicine, anesthesia, dentistry, behavior and equine nursing.

The American Veterinary Medical Association maintains a list of accredited degree programs on their website: http://www.avma.org/education/cvea/vettech_programs.asp

In some states, the use of the title "veterinary technician" and the practice of veterinary technology is recognized as profession and licensure is required. In other states, veterinary technicians are registered or certified. The laws that govern veterinary technicians vary from state to state so for specific information on the laws a person should check their state veterinary practice act or contact their state veterinary licensing board.

Whether your state REQUIRES credentialing to work as a veterinary technician, the education is never "a waste of time". Consider that veterinary technicians make life and death decisions concerning the care of your (and other clients') pets every day. Don't you think that the people being paid to make those sorts of decisions and provide health care for your pet should actually KNOW about veterinary care and nursing?

The exact differences between what a veterinary assistant and a veterinary technician can do in your state, you would need to check the state veterinary practice act. This is because each state sets it's own laws governing the practice of veterinary medicine so what is legal in one state may not be in another.

Veterinary assistants tend to make close to minimum wage. Veterinary technicians will generally make more due to their education and increased abilities, but it is still not a great paying job. To find out numbers for your state, you should contact your state veterinary technician association or veterinary medical association as pay scales vary from state to state.

The daily workload can vary greatly depending on the type of practice you work in and the area of the country you are in. Most often the workload will be variable in any practice--some days will be like a wild rollercoaster ride while others are so boring and slow that you have a hard time staying awake.

A very general list of things that a veterinary technician would do would include collecting patient histories, collect biological samples (blood, urine, feces, etc), running diagnostic tests, monitoring and medicating hospitalized animals, assisting in surgery, administering and monitoring anesthesia, performing dental cleanings, providing treatment for outpatients as prescribed by the attending veterinarian, filling prescriptions, answering client questions on preventative medicine, disease processes, medications, etc, maintaining inventory, caring for surgical and medical equipment such as anesthesia machines, taking radiographs, entering medical records, etc.

Pay and benefits generally are low and make it hard to get by. You have to really pick and choose your jobs in order to make a comfortable living. I was single and working as a "well-paid veterinary technician" for many years and still had a hard time just making ends meet. Licensed veterinary technicians average about $17 per hour, but you have to take into account the cost of living in the states where technicians are licensed. In states where licensure is not practiced the pay even for credentialed technicians is lower than that.

Before enrolling in a veterinary technology program, it is a good idea to volunteer or take a job at a veterinary hospital to see what the job of a veterinary technician really entails. Many people think that it will suit them but find out differently once they start school. Having personal experience in a veterinary facility will also help you to excel in your classes by giving you real-world application for what you are learning.

Also, contact your state veterinary technician association. They can give you detailed advice on the requirements for being a veterinary technician in your state and also help you to choose an appropriate school.

http://www.avma.org/education/cvea/cvtea_policy.asp

Answer 3

No, veterinary technicians are people who typically have a degree in veterinary technology (though they may have an associated degree) and have met the credentialing requirements to work as a veterinary technician in a particular state. Typically that means that they have passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam in the US and likely also a state board exam.

A veterinary assistant is someone who works in a veterinary facility but has not met the requirements to be credentialed as a veterinary technician. Veterinary assistants are typically trained on-the-job though there are voluntary educational opportunites. All of these programs offer certification as a veterinary assistant, but this certification is not legally recognized or required by any state in the US.

Answer 4

The difference between a veterinary techician and a veterinary assistant are the education and credentialling requirements. Veterinary assistants are not required to have any educatiton related to the field of veterinary medicine or veterinary technology. There are voluntary educational opportunities, however these are not equivalent to a college degree programs and are instead basic vocational training. There is no over-sight by a professional body to ensure that the majority of these programs provide adequate or correct information. There is no requirement for hands-on training and instructors often have little or no experience or education in the veterinary field. There are a handful of certification programs that are designed and approved by veterinary professional organizations or that are offered by colleges which also offer accredited veteirnary technology programs and these are better choices for someone who wants to be a veterinary assistant. This is an entry level position for working in the veterinary field and is not a recognized profession in any state. Veterinary technicians are required (in most states) to have a degree in veterinary technology from an AVMA accredited veterinary technology program, to have passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam and a state exam in order to be credentialed. There are 2 degree levels offered in veterinary technology---a 2 year associates degree and a 4 year bachelors degree. Those with an associates degree are termed "technicians" and those with a bachelors degree are termed "technologists". The American Veterinary Medical Association maintains a list of accredited degree programs on their website: Inhttp://www.avma.org/education/cvea/vettech_programs/vettech_programs.asp In some states, the use of the title "veterinary technician" and the practice of veterinary technology is recognized as profession and licensure is required. In other states, veterinary technicians are registered or certified. The laws that govern veterinary technicians vary from state to state so for specific information on the laws a person should check their state veterinary practice act or contact their state veterinary licensing board.

Answer 5

The difference between a veterinary technician and a veterinary assistant is education.

Veterinary technicians are required (in most states) to have a 2 year degree in veterinary technology from an AVMA accredited veterinary technology program, to have passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam and a state exam in order to be credentialed. They are also generally required to attend a set number of continuing education courses each year to keep up with changes in veterinary medicine. Veterinary technicians are educated in veterinary anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, animal husbandry, surgical assisting, anesthesia, medical nursing, diagnostics such as radiology and ultrasonography, clinical pathology, parasitology, medical terminology and record keeping, biological collection and sample handling and preperation, etc. They can also specialize in areas such as emergency and critical care, internal medicine, anesthesia, dentistry, behavior and equine nursing.

The American Veterinary Medical Association maintains a list of accredited degree programs on their website: http://www.avma.org/education/cvea/vettech_programs/vettech_programs.asp

No state in the US has any educational requirements for working as a veterinary assistant. This is an entry level-position in a veterinary facility and training is generally done on the job. Because most training is done on the job it is often very cursory and lacks the depth and breadth of a formal education. There are voluntary educational opportunities, however these are not equivalent to a college degree program and are instead basic vocational training. Basically a veterinary assistant is someone who works for a veterinarin but has not met the educational requirements to be a veterinary technician.

Answer 6

No,

A veterinarian (North American English) or a veterinary surgeon (British English), often shortened to vet, is a physician for animals and a practitioner of veterinary medicine. Veterinarians have extensive medical knowledge and diagnose and prescribe treatment for medical conditions as well as perform surgery.

A veterinary technician (also called a vet tech), is a person trained and licensed to assist veterinarians. Veterinary technicians cannot diagnose, prescribe or perform surgery which falls under the practice of veterinary medicine. Their duties including nursing care of patients, inducing and maintaining anesthesia, surgical assisting, laboratory diagnostic testing, sample collection, patient monitoring in hospital, client education, etc.

Answer 7

Veterinary assisting is an entry level position in the veterinary field with no state in the US having requirements for special education or training for a person wishing to work as a veterinary assistant. There are voluntary educational opportunities, however these are not equivalent to a college degree program and are instead basic vocational training. There is no over-sight by a professional body to ensure that the majority of these programs provide adequate or correct information. There is no requirement for hands-on training and instructors often have little or no experience or education in the veterinary field. There are a handful of certification programs that are designed and approved by veterinary professional organizations or that are offered by colleges which also offer accredited veterinary technology programs and these are better choices for someone who wants to be a veterinary assistant. All of these programs offer certification as a veterinary assistant, but this certification is not legally recognized or required by any state in the US.

Veterinarians in the US earn a bachelors degree in a related field (such as Biology) and then must attend vet school for 4 years (so 8 years of school total) in order to earn their degree in veterinary medicine and sit for state licensing exams.

Answer 8

The difference between a veterinary technician and a veterinary assistant is education.

Veterinary technicians are required (in most states) to have a 2 year degree in veterinary technology from an AVMA accredited veterinary technology program, to have passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam and a state exam in order to be credentialed. They are also generally required to attend a set number of continuing education courses each year to keep up with changes in veterinary medicine. Veterinary technicians are educated in veterinary anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, animal husbandry, surgical assisting, anesthesia, medical nursing, diagnostics such as radiology and ultrasonography, clinical pathology, parasitology, medical terminology and record keeping, biological collection and sample handling and preperation, etc. They can also specialize in areas such as emergency and critical care, internal medicine, anesthesia, dentistry, behavior and equine nursing.

The American Veterinary Medical Association maintains a list of accredited degree programs on their website: http://www.avma.org/education/cvea/vettech_programs/vettech_programs.asp

No state in the US has any educational requirements for working as a veterinary assistant. This is an entry level-position in a veterinary facility and training is generally done on the job. Because most training is done on the job it is often very cursory and lacks the depth and breadth of a formal education. There are voluntary educational opportunities, however these are not equivalent to a college degree program and are instead basic vocational training. Basically a veterinary assistant is someone who works for a veterinarin but has not met the educational requirements to be a veterinary technician.

Answer 9

Yes, the term "veterinary technician" is used in the United States while the term "veterinary nurse" is used in Britain and Australia.