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 |