by 
Would you love to spend your day with animals?
Are you interested in their health and happiness?
If your answer to these questions is “yes”, then you should think about becoming a productive member of a veterinary team.
Since veterinary science demands a lot of time and money to become a veterinarian, and you cannot afford it, maybe a veterinary assistant vocation can bring you equal satisfaction.
Earn your accredited, affordable Veterinary Assistant career diploma online with Penn Foster in as little as 12 months!
Article Table of Contents
Job Description
Every veterinary assistant is an important member of the veterinary staff and the right hand to the veterinarian.
Their duties start from making appointments, through sterilizing equipment, preparing animals for an intervention to assisting operations.
Every day is different and brings new challenges.
They usually spend their days setting up for and helping during surgery and treatments and educating clients.
The veterinarian may ask them to perform kennel work, assist in the restraint and handling of animals and spend time on clerical duties.
So, they need to have the ability to follow directions, listen and communicate efficiently, as well as handle multiple assignments.
Veterinary assistants are not only medical but also administrative workers since their daily tasks include front office procedures and administrative duties.
Becoming a Veterinary Assistant in Oregon
If you want to develop yourself into a veterinary assistant who can start immediately it is advisable to start learning.
You can do that while still in high school, or after finishing it.
It is not obligatory to have an education related to veterinary medicine to start working, but it is a good thing to know what your duties are before entering the clinic.
The courses are designed for people who want to work as veterinary assistants at veterinary hospitals and for those already employed in related positions but want to become certified veterinary assistants.
There is an ongoing need for licensed veterinary assistants at all levels in the veterinary industry, so the chances of getting a job are higher.
Some veterinary assistant campus in Oregon are:
- Carrington College
- Linn-Benton Community College
- Blue Mountain Community College
Upon passing those courses, you will receive a certificate which will prove potential employers that you have all the skills needed to be a veterinarian assistant.
Requirements
To receive a Certificate of Completion as a veterinary assistant, students might enter any of the courses organized by NAVTA.
Its programs train students to assist veterinarians in caring for animals in clinical settings, they receive both classroom instruction and laboratory training and get required knowledge related to economics, administration, and marketing.
Students who complete the certificate program are completely ready to start working successfully, which is the crucial aim of these courses.
The instructor will teach you the inside secrets of how to become a pet care professional, at your own pace in less than a few months.
Through some of the certificate programs, students have the opportunity to work up to 40 hours per week at a veterinary clinical site and receive a hands-on look at what it means to work as a veterinary assistant.
Getting a Job
Since education is highly required by many veterinarians when electing a perfect candidate for the job, they tend to motivate current personnel to pursue veterinary courses and dedicate themselves to training and education.
Through these education programs, they will become more effective and valuable members of any veterinary medical team, being competent in dozens of foundational skills.
The certified veterinary assistants possess vast experience and knowledge in the areas of domestic animal behavior, veterinary technology, pet rescue, and animal welfare, and that is why they have priority when choosing the ideal candidate for this job.
Getting the job would not be a problem, because the veterinary field is advancing and developing, looking for even more employees.
If you want to put your knowledge from the courses into practice, here are potential veterinary assistant employers in Oregon where you can look for a job:
- VCA (Veterinary Centers of America)
- Banfield Pet Hospital
- Bend
Salary
When you invest so much time and strength into your education, you expect to find a satisfying job that will substitute all those efforts.
When the veterinary assistant job is in question, the salary cannot satisfy workers, being rather modest.
The national average salary for a veterinary assistant is $31,659 in the United States.
Oregon is a state with relatively higher salaries about some other states, but still, they are not too high.
Veterinary assistants in Bend earn $ 28 615 annually, while their colleagues in Portland earn $ 30 988.
The table below shows the salary of a veterinary assistant in the state of Oregon annually since it varies from one city to another.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Albany,OR | $28,909 |
| Beaverton,OR | $30,988 |
| Bend,OR | $28,615 |
| Clackamas,OR | $30,949 |
| Corvallis,OR | $28,902 |
| Eugene,OR | $29,100 |
| Gresham,OR | $30,949 |
| Hillsboro,OR | $30,890 |
| Lake Oswego,OR | $30,988 |
| Medford,OR | $27,484 |
| Oregon City,OR | $30,870 |
| Portland,OR | $30,988 |
| Salem,OR | $29,384 |
| Springfield,OR | $28,723 |
Regional Salary in Oregon
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, OR | 50 | $39,850 | $19.16 | $58,440 | $33,970 |
| Bend-Redmond, OR | 200 | $40,450 | $19.45 | $47,580 | $35,550 |
| Corvallis, OR | 100 | $39,350 | $18.92 | $44,230 | $35,260 |
| Eugene, OR | 220 | $37,380 | $17.97 | $46,010 | $33,800 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 50 | $38,720 | $18.62 | $45,620 | $33,760 |
| Medford, OR | 130 | $39,060 | $18.78 | $45,530 | $33,540 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,680 | $41,580 | $19.99 | $46,650 | $36,910 |
| Salem, OR | 180 | $39,430 | $18.96 | $47,480 | $35,430 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Duties
A veterinary assistant duty includes caring for animals, applying postoperative care, administer medication and prepare samples for laboratory examination.
They need to possess various skills to be able to manage client relations, office procedures and medical terminology, pharmacy, veterinary dentistry, and surgical preparation and assisting
The daily activities include dealing with the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of common pets, usage of various medical instruments and helping the veterinarian during medical examinations.
Last but not the least important duties are training owners in drug administration, preventative maintenance, and post-procedure care.
Veterinary assistants are necessary since they play a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth running of the organization.
Summary
Even though one of the main requirements for the veterinary assistant position is a love for and comfort with animals and pets of all kinds, education plays an important role in successful job performance.
In case you want to get involved in this field, you should know that being a veterinary assistant normally requires some form of technical or vocational training and certification and that this job also has negative sides such as night shifts, working at weekends and on holidays.
Nevertheless, the happiness perceived in the eyes of a saved pet and even greater joy expressed by its owner is fulfilling enough to surpass all the negative sides of this job.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Veterinary Assistant
Veterinary Assisting by State