Veterinary Technician: Could This Be the Career for You?
How to Become a Registered Veterinary Technician, One of the Most Rewarding Careers You Can Imagine
A Registered Veterinary Technician enjoys many career options and exciting opportunities to learn more about caring for animals. Could this be the career path you’ve been looking for? Maybe! Here’s what it takes to start on your journey towards becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT):
- You must love animals! And we mean unconditional love. You must love them when they are hurt, upset and in need of a good bath.
- You need to be compassionate. Along with love, you need to feel compassion for animals and their people and have a desire to do whatever you can to improve health outcomes.
- You’ve gotta be curious. Veterinary medicine requires a deep knowledge of many animals and health conditions. You need a love for learning and desire to solve problems.
- You’re a team player. Veterinary care takes teamwork. From Assistant to Receptionist to Technician to Veterinarian, we all listen to one another and work together for the benefit of our patients.
- You can’t mind getting messy. But you also should be a clean, orderly person. Health care for animals requires maintaining a clean hospital environment even though the patients won’t be helping out in that regard.
Veterinary Technician Career Path Options
Grady Veterinary Hospital Internal Medicine Technician Jen shares her career experience as an RVT who earned her degree from University of Cincinnati. She’s enjoyed experience in:
- General Practice
- Emergency
- Internal Medicine
Check out her video to learn more.
Jen also shares further certifications that RVTs can pursue after graduation, including Small Animal Internal Medicine, Critical Care, and Behavior and Nutrition. Each of these open new avenues for your career as a Registered Veterinary Technician.
Career Advancement Tip: Work as a Veterinary Assistant During Your Schooling
One way to learn early on if an animal hospital is the right work environment for you is to work as a Veterinary Assistant as you go to school. As you train at Veterinary Technician School, this option gives you the opportunity to get hands-on experience. Our Veterinary Technician and Student Coordinator Heather describes:
“As a student, you’re learning all sorts of things about veterinary medicine. If you work as an assistant at the same time, you’ll witness everything you’re learning in school. It will help you gain invaluable experience and cement your knowledge. It brings everything full circle: from physiology to anatomy to actually applying your knowledge in a hospital setting. Being a Veterinary Technician is a hands-on calling, so the sooner you get experience with all kinds of animals, the better.”
RVTs who have hospital experience have better and more interesting job prospects after graduation. You may even get an offer from that hospital. At Grady Veterinary Hospital, we love to promote from within our own team, and we support the continuing education of all our employees.
RVT Salary: What to Expect as a Registered Veterinary Technician
While we can’t speak to the entire field of RVT salaries, Grady Veterinary Hospital currently has an open position: Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) – Emergency, Night Shift. Depending on experience, we’re offering $45,760 to $58, 240 per year for this position. This full-time opening also offers full benefits.
Behind the Scenes as an RVT at a 24-Hour, Full-Service Hospital
Heather went behind the scenes at Grady Veterinary Hospital to give prospective Veterinary Technicians an idea of what it’s like to work at a 24-hour hospital. Watch her video:
Are you interested in learning more about becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician? We love to help seekers learn more about the incredible world of veterinary medicine. Reach out to Robert McCabe at RMcCabe@GradyVet.com. Or, check out our Veterinary Career Resources for more insight.