How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Mississippi

Because the growth of animal health centers leads to the increasing volume of work, veterinary staff should not worry about job offers.

The veterinary profession has reached more importance in recent years and the competition is more diverse and greater.

Veterinary technicians have a rewarding, interesting, and hard role, involving diverse daily activities and challenges which cannot be predicted.

Love towards animals and pets of all kinds might be the first requirement of a veterinary technician, but that is not the only qualification that would make him/her a successful veterinary staff member.

Veterinary Technician Job Description

Besides interacting with animals, training owners in drug administration, taking and developing x-rays, the veterinary technician duty is to assist surgery and perform minor interventions without the supervision of the veterinarian.

How serious their daily duties will highly depend on education, talents, and eagerness to learn and advance skills.

It is important to know that successful veterinary technicians can be only those people with excellent communication skills, who possess compassion and empathy, who are responsible, patient and careful.

If they find work in a hospital where treated animals stay overnight, they are responsible for supervising them and they have to work during the night, on holidays and weekends.

Long hours are frequent and normal for them.

Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Mississippi

Preparing for the career of a veterinary technician should include the proper education provided by a college instructor at a school that has accredited programs approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities.

In Mississippi, there is one school that offers an Associate’s degree for veterinary technicians, and one that provides a B.S. degree for veterinary technologists.

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

• Hinds Community College​​​
• Mississippi State University

Educational Requirements for Veterinary Technicians in Mississippi

You are supposed to have a high school diploma or GED, SAT scores and GPA and previous work experience to be eligible for the program.

A veterinary technician education lasts two to three years and it begins with the taking of some general courses.

Later on, you will have classes focused on veterinary science, including anatomy and physiology, terminology, radiology, microbiology, etc.

As in all other accredited programs, the education is finished only after the internship done in a clinical setting.

There are Mississippi financial aid opportunities designed to help college students:

• the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG)
• the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG).

The information about the aids and applications can be gained on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Another organization that offers financial help to veterinary technician students is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterinary Technician Examination and License

The graduation from an accredited program allows you to take the Veterinary Technician National Examination.

The passing of this exam is required to become a certified veterinary technician in Mississippi. Certification is important as the job prospects are greater as your eligibility depends on education and experience.

Veterinarians rather choose veterinary technicians who already know everything about animal care, including medical conditions, surgeries, vaccines and more.

Mississippi Board also requires that future veterinary technicians pass a jurisprudence exam and only then can apply for licensure by the Mississippi State Veterinary Board.

Job Prospects in Mississippi

During the internship, many people show their qualities and if notices by the employer can continue working there after gaining the license.

Veterinary technicians can look for a job in clinics and hospitals, animal shelters and zoos.

It depends on their interest to work in more demanding premises or small private facilities.

These are some of the veterinary technician employers in Mississippi offering possibilities to veterinary technicians:

• Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association
• National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA)
• Veterinary Career Network
• Vet Tech Life,
• Vetcetera
• Where Techs Connect.

Veterinary Technicians’ Average Annual Salary in Mississippi

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

The average pay for veterinary technicians in Mississippi is $32,470.

The higher number of pet owners might lead to higher wages of veterinary technicians in the future and the new job openings.

Veterinary technician personal characteristics such as education level, working experience, working hours and responsibility of the performed work all determine the pay rate.

The average income of its residents, the number of clinics and the prominence of the clinic are social factors that might affect the salary.

Nowadays, the salary is modest and it is estimated to be $ 30794 in Tupelo, while it is the highest in Southaven where it reaches $ 34480 per year.

Regional Salary in Mississippi

Veterinary Technician’s Duties

There are numerous duties and challenges that a veterinary technician has to face daily and discussing with the owners what needs to be done is only one small part of their job.

They help the vet with the cases, get involved in doing treatments, x-rays, anesthetics, and surgeries, among many others.

Veterinary technicians are also responsible for doing blood tests, assessing and diagnosing patients, administer vaccinations.

The animal healthcare team depends a lot on the services of veterinary technicians.

Summary

Many people dream about becoming veterinarians and help the animals in need, but do not get a chance or cannot afford the education, so they find the job of a veterinary technician equally satisfying.

This is an exciting career, but at the same time physically and emotionally very demanding.

The facility’s impeccable functioning is entrusted to veterinary technicians who have to be in charge of everything and they do not allow being incapable of giving the animals the necessary help.

Veterinary technicians are people who devote all their life to help animals, starting from dedicating their youth to achieve required and necessary knowledge and education to committing their lives working daily with them.

Veterinary Technicians by State