How to Become a Veterinary Assistant in Wisconsin

People who possess compassion and empathy, who consider themselves responsible while performing administrative tasks, and are patient and careful when dealing with people and animals should think about entering the veterinary medicine and become one of the valuable members of this great team.

They do not have to become veterinarians to be able to spend their working hours with animals.

They might choose some other less responsible, but not at all naïve vocations such as veterinary technicians and assistants.

Veterinary medicine is experiencing growth due to the increasing number of pet owners, thus leading to the abundance of jobs for people passionate about animal welfare.

Job Description

A veterinary assistant is focused on helping the animals in need and is an important team member.

Communications skills are necessary since he/she needs to cooperate with veterinarians,  other veterinary staff and clients.

They need to be careful and precise when asked to administer vaccinations, draw blood for testing, or assist during surgical procedures as well.

The less responsible duties might be scheduling appointments and helping maintain clean and healthy premises.

If the assistant is working in a hospital where treated animals stay overnight, they are also responsible for supervising them and they have to work during the night.

Becoming a Veterinary Assistant in Wisconsin

A love for and comfort with animals and pets of all kinds might be the first requirement of a veterinary assistant, but that is not his/the only qualification that makes him/her a successful veterinary assistant.

The daily duties in this exciting career are physically and emotionally very demanding.

So that the facility can function impeccably, a veterinary assistant has to be in charge of everything.

That is why the ideal candidate for this kind of profession needs to be willing to learn new skills and develop his/her abilities as well as continue education at some of the available courses and programs.

If they know what they want to try their luck in this vocation while they are still at high school, students can enter courses related to veterinary science, to be able to start working immediately after they get a high school diploma.

To become a good and self-confident veterinary assistant, you need technical or vocational training and certification offered throughout the USA.

Some veterinary assistant campus in Wisconsin are:

• Milwaukee Career College
• Gateway Technical College
• Moraine Park Technical College

Requirements

The requirements for entering the veterinary assistant programs or courses do not exist.

No previous work is necessary for entering into any course level, except for a high school diploma or GED equivalency.

There are NAVTA courses with 36 approved programs throughout the U.S. and Canada and 4 online programs, where students are allowed to learn from qualified professionals about animal health issues, injuries, and illnesses, animal anatomy and physiology, etc.

Once the courses are finished, they need to take and pass the AVA exam to become approved Wisconsin veterinary assistants.

Online courses are becoming more popular nowadays since students can study at their own pace completing their studies in the period that best suits their learning style.

Getting a Job

Places, where veterinary assistants can search for a job, are veterinary services, such as animal hospitals and clinics, zoos, and laboratories convenient for more educated and advanced veterinary assistants.

Employers are more eager to employ assistants who have more education and experience in the field.

Bearing in mind the fact that the growth of animal health centers leads to the increasing volume of work, there is no need to worry about job offers.

The veterinary assistant profession has gained more importance in recent years, and that leads to the growing number of employers, resulting in good job opportunities but at the same time the competition is more diverse and greater.

Reputable clinics are looking for assistants who know what they need to do, more people finish courses and have priority over those unlicensed ones.

Still, the job offer in Wisconsin is great and applicants should not face difficulties in finding jobs there.

Potential veterinary assistant employers in Wisconsin are:

• VCA (Veterinary Centers of America)
  • VCA Sand Lake Animal Hospital
  • VCA Associates in Pet Care Animal Hospital
  • VCA Pahle Animal Hospital
  • VCA Sand Lake Animal Hospital
  • VCA Companion Care Animal Hospital
• VETCO Wellness Centers and Vaccination Clinics inside PETCO
  • Located in Oshkosh Petco
  • Located in Plover Petco
  • Located in Green Bay Petco
  • Located in Janesville Petco
  • Located in Germantown Petco

Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is trying to calculate the annual salary of a veterinary assistant in the cities around the USA and estimate the average salary in the cities within one particular state.

In Wisconsin, it is estimated that an average veterinary assistant annual salary ranges from $ 26 671 in La Crosse up to $ 29 393 in Milwaukee.

Personal characteristics that might affect the salary are education level, working experience, working hours and amount and responsibility of the performed work.

Social factors are the development of the city where the facility is, the average income of its residents, the number of clinics and the prominence of the clinic the veterinary assistant is working for.

The table below shows the salary of a veterinary assistant in the state of Wisconsin annually since it varies from one place to another.

Regional Salary in Wisconsin

Duties

The veterinary assistant vocation is a rewarding, interesting, and hard role because every day is distinct from the previous one and challenges cannot be predicted.

When the veterinary assistants’ duties are in question, they start form answering phone calls and booking appointments, through interacting with animals, training owners in drug administration, taking and developing x-rays, up to assisting surgery and performing minor interventions without the supervision of the veterinarian.

The seriousness of daily duties depends on education and talents, as well as an eagerness to learn and advance skills.

Excellent communication skills, understanding of animal behavior and good organization are compulsory when working in a veterinary hospital and the role of veterinary assistant can be equated with the role of a nurse in a hospital.

Veterinary Assisting by State