Veterinary Team/Career Track Comparisons

Career Category	Veterinary Assistant	Veterinary Technician	Veterinary Technologists	Pre-Vet Students	Veterinarian
Definition	Generalist in animal care; Clinical aide.	Nursing Technician with technical veterinary medical skills	Technologist in veterinary science and technology	Student - career preparation	Diagnostician and surgeon
Focus	Performs minor technical tasks, general animal care and restraint	Performs wide range of technical nursing and laboratory procedures	Plans and executes projects. Supervises and teaches	Gaining admittance to veterinary school	Diagnoses diseases Prognoses outcomes Prescribes treatment Performs surgery
Education	High School, correspondence courses	Basic science and animal nursing and veterinary technology courses	Advanced areas of veterinary technology, management and science.	Two year (63-81 credit hours minimum)	Veterinary medicine and surgery
Degree	On-the-job trained; no degree	Associate of Science Degree in Veterinary Technology	BS Degree,veterinary technology major	BS Degree (optional) in second year career choice after four years	Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
College	None required	Two-year AVMA accredited program	Two-year program after to technician education	Two to four years	Four-year Veterinary Medical School
Possible Roles	Animal Caretaker Technician's Assistant Veterinarian's Assistant Orderly Animal Attendant Animal Care Assistant Clinic Aide Janitor	Nurse Anesthetist Surgical/ORT Tech Radiographic Tech Dental Hygienist Medical Lab Tech	Clinical Specialist Working Supervisor Practice Manager Teaching Technologist Sales Representative Animal Housing Director Herd Health Technologist	Undergraduate student usually in Agriculture or Science (can be any other major); Veterinary assistant in summers	Veterinary Practitioner Research Scientist Public Health Officer Industrial Veterinarian Veterinary Educator Military Veterinarian
Certification/ Licensure	None	Certified or licensed by State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (SBVME)	None by SBVME; Specialty certification optional	None	Licensed Veterinarian by State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
Class Size	No program	30/class	30-40 per class	No limit/class	60/class
Career Pathway	Enter technician or pre-vet program	Lifetime career as RVT on veterinary team or enter technologist (BS) program	Career as technologist, supervisor, teacher, or manager on veterinary team	Enter one of 27 veterinary medical schools	Lifetime career as Doctor of Veterinary Medicine