How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Minnesota

There are plentiful of well-known and respected veterinary clinics that have achieved awards for the great care of all kinds of animals.

The number of them is expected to grow in the years to come and they will be lacking the certified veterinary staff.

So, young generations frequently decide to enter this rewarding profession and earn a living, as the job prospects are great.

However, the better and more prominent clinics, the more rigorous they are in terms of qualification for becoming their employees.

Veterinary Technician Job Description

The chances of getting a job are equal for all the candidates but the everyday duties of a veterinary technician depend on the prominence and popularity of the clinic where they work.

Besides the time-consuming administration, they focus on the animals’ health care and face various difficulties during the day.

A veterinary technician may be asked to take x-rays, hold animals during treatment and assist with surgery, take blood and do the analysis.

Those technicians who work in rescue centers and animal rehabilitation centers have even more serious responsibilities, as working with wild, large and exotic animals cannot equal to the work with small animals and pets.

Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Minnesota

When the certification requirements for a veterinary technician are in question, they are not the same in every state.

As each state has its formal education requirements, candidates interested in programs should get familiar with them.

Minnesota veterinary technicians are not required to hold a certification to pursue their careers and opportunities of a veterinary technician.

Still, the importance of education is proved by the fact that numerous future veterinary technicians are entering programs to advance their careers and learn from experienced instructors everything they need to know and use throughout a workday.

Educational Requirements for Veterinary Technicians in Minnesota

The obligations are numerous and that is why the ideal candidate for this kind of profession needs to be willing to learn new skills and the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) provides third-party certification.

As in most states, it is advisable to choose a postsecondary education in Veterinary Technology that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

The veterinary technology programs accredited by the AVMA in Minnesota are:

• Argosy University
• Ridgewater College
• Rochester Community and Technical College

Minnesota has to offer three different types of degree programs 

1. An Associate of Applied Science(A.A.S.) degree in Veterinary Technology, which lasts two years and teaches you how to work in a veterinary hospital or laboratory setting
2. an associate of Science (A.S.) degree in Veterinary Technology which also takes two years to complete and offers you the knowledge which can be used after graduation to advance your career through specialization in a chosen veterinary field.
3. A Bachelor of Science(B.S.) degree in Veterinary Technology which is a four-year course and prepares you to work in specialized settings.

No matter which one you choose, the lessons at most Veterinary Technician programs focus on:

• Biology and Chemistry
• Clinical Procedures
• Laboratory Animal Science
• Surgical Procedures
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Large and Small Animal Medicine
• Veterinary Hospital Management
• Animal Nutrition
• Animal Disease and Pathology
• Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Veterinary Imaging
• Anesthesiology
• Dentistry
• Emergency and Critical Care

Education requires you to finish a necessary internship in a clinical or laboratory setting.

There are laboratories in the educational institutions where you can work supervised by instructors or you can look for an internship in some of the veterinary hospitals in Minnesota:

• Minnesota Veterinary Hospital
• Blaine Central Veterinary Clinic
• Bemidji Veterinary Hospital
• Duluth Veterinary Hospital
• South Shore Veterinary Hospital
• Woodlake Veterinary Hospital

Before entering the internship, you must provide proof of a tetanus booster, rabies vaccination, and medical insurance.

Veterinary Technician Examination and License

Even though the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) is not mandatory to work as a veterinary technician in Minnesota, more and more employers decide to hire people who possess certification and who have passed this examination.

To improve your job opportunities, you should take and pass the VTNE which is organized by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards.

The VTNE costs $300 and three examination windows per year are offered:

1. March 15—April 15

• the application deadline is February 15

2. July 15—August 15

• the application deadline is June 15

3. November 15—December 15

• the application deadline is October 15

To register for the examination, you must receive an Authorization-to-Test letter (ATT) from the Professional Examination Service (PES) which will inform you about how to select the date and location of your examination.

The testing is organized by Prometric Licensing and Examination Providers and you are supposed to bring a government-issued ID to the exam.

It is done on the computer and you will view your score at the end of the exam.

The 170 questions, out of which 20 would not count, cover nine veterinary science areas:

1. Emergency Medicine/Critical Care
2. Dentistry
3. Pain Management/Analgesia
4. Diagnostic Imaging
5. Surgical Nursing
6. Pharmacy and Pharmacology
7. Laboratory Procedures
8. Anesthesia
9. Animal Care and Nursing

You can study from the VTNE Candidate Handbook and prepare by doing two practice tests online.

Once you pass the examination, you can achieve certification by filling out an application form and send it to the MVMA or apply online.

A certification fee is $60.

The documentation should be sent to:

Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association

101 Bridgepoint Way, Suite 100

South St. Paul, MN 55075

After two years, you need to keep your license current by filling out a certification renewal application, paying $60.00 and achieve 10 continuing education credits.

Job Prospects in Minnesota

Veterinary technicians can search for a job at veterinary hospitals and clinics, zoos and laboratories, depending on their education level, as not all facilities are convenient for less-educated veterinary technicians.

Nowadays, employers are more eager to employ technicians who have higher knowledge and experience in the field.

Information about potential veterinary technician employers in Minnesota can be found on:

• Minnesota Association of Veterinary Technicians
• Minnesota Veterinary Medical Foundation
• Veterinary Hospitals Association

Veterinary Technicians’ Average Annual Salary in Minnesota

Regional Salary in Minnesota

Veterinary Technicians by State