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When you are an animal lover and your beloved pet is ill or injured that is an extremely difficult and stressful situation.
Each animal is valuable and all the effort should be made to save them.
Their owners will look for the best clinics and hospitals to offer them the most appropriate treatment.
That is the reason that the number of animal hospitals and shelters rises and veterinarians and their staff becomes people of greater significance.
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Veterinarians and their personnel are of crucial importance and should be more worshiped than they currently are.
Article Table of Contents
Job Description
When the upset pet owner calls or visits the animal hospital, among all people working there, the veterinary assistant is the first to meet.
Dealing with humans in this kind of stressful situation is not at all easy and even might be considered more complicated than dealing with animals.
Various other issues that veterinary assistants have to take care of our administration, preparing surgery and sterilize the equipment, giving medications, restraining animals and handling chemicals.
Additional duties include being an animal orderly, animal caretaker, attendant, and clinical aide so your ability to perform multiple duties will allow you to work in various work environments and become a valuable member of a veterinary team.
Becoming a Veterinary Assistant in Rhode Island
If you want to become a veterinary assistant in Rhode Island, the positive thing is that the number of job openings is in constant increase due to the growing need for veterinary assistants.
Another good fact is that you do not need to have a certificate if you possess a high school diploma or GED equivalency.
The majority of assistants start working after high school and receive their training while employed by a veterinarian.
However, for those who are interested in gaining further knowledge related to the veterinary field and want to have priority among the candidates when applying for the job, there are numerous educational programs and campuses where the license can be achieved.
Those courses have a detailed curriculum and provide training in veterinary health as an introduction to the field of veterinary medicine.
Some veterinary assistant campus in Rhode Island are:
- Community College of Rhode Island
- Massasoit Community College
Requirements
The courses and lectures available for Rhode Island citizens are organized in association with NAVTA.
Some of the courses are available online, and they are suitable for those veterinary assistants who are currently working but do not have a certificate.
Through these certificate programs, students will gain essential knowledge and job skills such as diagnostics, surgical assistance, and monitoring, critical care, first aid, and nutrition.
Since an animal clinic is also a business, students will get acquainted with basic facts related to client communication, marketing, administration, and medical data storage.
To become a certified veterinary assistant you need to enter and pass the approved available options and to take and pass the AVA examination after it.
The passing score on the exam proves that you deserve the license that is given to you and you can start searching for the appropriate job.
The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America’s programs usually take six months to a year to be completed.
Getting a Job
Due to the increasing number of animal hospitals and the lack of certified professionals to work there, the demand for new veterinary assistants is rising, too.
The greater are the chances of getting a job quickly and without too many difficulties if you possess a license since the employer himself/herself is the one who determines who will be employed.
Some of the clinics have been awarded for the great care of all kinds of animals and that is the reason why they are more likely to look for an assistant who has the knowledge and can start working without previous supervision.
If you cannot find the job immediately after finishing the studies, do not despair.
The job opportunity will appear faster than you can imagine, but you need to be prepared for the fact that in a vet clinic, every day is different and full of surprises and that a veterinary assistant’s job is not about playing with little kittens and puppies.
Potential veterinary assistant employers in Rhode Island:
- VCA (Veterinary Centers of America)
- Vetco Wellness Centers and Vaccination Clinics inside PETCO
- Located in Middletown Petco
- Located in Warwick Petco
- Located in North Kingstown Petco
- Banfield Pet Hospital
- Banfield Warwick
- Banfield Johnston
Salary
The annual salary of a veterinary assistant varies among the cities around Rhode Island as it is the situation with every occupation.
However, the difference is so low that it is not even worth mentioning.
The salary is affected by the assistant himself, due to the different level of experience, education, daily obligations, number of working hours and work setting.
The table below shows the salary of a veterinary assistant in the state of Rhode Island annually.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Coventry,RI | $31,338 |
| Cranston,RI | $31,397 |
| Cumberland,RI | $31,397 |
| Narragansett,RI | $31,418 |
| Newport,RI | $31,364 |
| Pawtucket,RI | $31,397 |
| Providence,RI | $31,397 |
| Warwick,RI | $31,397 |
| Woonsocket,RI | $31,368 |
Regional Salary in Rhode Island
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 370 | $42,780 | $20.57 | $48,390 | $31,710 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Duties
Not so demanding veterinary assistant tasks include answering customer calls and clients’ questions and concerns, scheduling appointments and interventions, handling client histories and making contact with other veterinary facilities if necessary, basically dealing with administrative issues.
Otherwise, the more educated assistants have more serious tasks that necessitate knowledge and they include sterilization of equipment and instruments, preparing everything for examination and surgery, assisting a veterinarian during his/her work.
Their job is an exciting experience and an everlasting challenge.
Summary
Little formal education is required to get started in the field of veterinary medicine but a successful veterinary assistant career begins with proper education.
Even though veterinary assistants are educated and possess the license or certification, they have to work under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian and cannot diagnose the illness, prescribe medicine or perform surgery.
The difficulties that the veterinary assistant has to face are numerous and the salary is not satisfying at all, but this is a field where you can make a difference and that makes the feel pleased and delighted.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Veterinary Assistant
Veterinary Assisting by State