How to Become a Veterinary Technician in New Mexico

Veterinary Technician Job Description

When thinking about a vet tech career it is significant to mention that these people are a very important and necessary part of each veterinary facility.

They are well trained and educated individuals who are prepared to assist the veterinarian in all aspects of a veterinary practice or facility.

The array of their duties is huge, starting from animal intake, record keeping, inventory, etc., to assisting in surgery, administering medications and anesthesia, wound care, animal restraint, taking x-rays, performing dental and laboratory procedures.

Most vet techs even decide to specialize in these disciplines:

• Dental Technician
• Anesthetist
• Internal Medicine
• Emergency and Critical Care
• Behavior Technician
• Zoological Medicine
• Equine
• Surgery
• Clinical Practice
• Nutrition
• Clinical Pathology

That way they make their salary bigger and their job prospects better.

Accredited New Mexico Veterinary Technology Programs

When selecting a school to attend, it is very important that you enroll in the one that offers an accredited Veterinary Technology Program in  New Mexico.

Future veterinary technicians can make a choice among three programs accredited by the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA), a branch of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

They can choose to enroll in Central New Mexico Community College of Albuquerque which offers an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in veterinary technology.

Education there is based on hands-on lab sessions in addition to courses including animal comparative anatomy & physiology; surgical technology for vet techs; radiology; dentistry; pharmacology; noninfectious & infectious diseases; clinical pathology, etc.

The program takes 5 terms to complete and it costs $660 per full-time term of 12-18 credits or $55 per credit hour for New Mexico residents.

The second school is Navajo Technical University, offering an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in veterinary technology which comprises 68 credit hours, 50 of those in core vet tech courses.

In addition to regular courses, the good thing is that there is a VTNE preparation course.

For people who find attending an on-campus vet tech program difficult and unavailable, there is a chance of attending an accredited, distance-based vet tech program at San Juan College of Farmington.

Vet tech program begins in January, May, or August, and it is worth mentioning that vet tech students are responsible for securing a Companion Animal Off-Campus Clinical Instruction (OCCI) site where they can complete their clinical experience.

San Juan College’s veterinary technology program costs $46 per credit hour.

The enrollment procedure differs from facility to facility but applicants typically need to submit the following when applying :

• Completed application
• Official transcripts with proof of specific coursework
• Personal statement (500-600 words)
• Proof of health insurance
• Application fee

The majority of programs do not require SAT scores, letters of recommendation, or candidate interviews, but still, there are some schools that would require these as well.

Besides San Juan College, there are some other schools in which New Mexico residents can enroll in a distance-based vet tech program

Cedar Valley College based in Lancaster, TX provides a distance-based AAS degree in veterinary technology.

The total tuition for this program is $14,070 for out-of-state students.

St. Petersburg College of Florida boasts an online associate of science (AS) program.

It is worth noting that all students must volunteer for 20 hours per week in a local veterinary clinic and complete clinical practice to graduate.

Requirements to Become a Licensed Veterinary Technician in New Mexico

So as to enroll in a veterinary technician [rogram, you will need to possess a high school diploma or GED equivalency and enroll in a vet tech program.

The curriculum of these programs is science-based, and they start with the courses required before application.

Some prerequisite courses which are obligatory are English, biology, math, communications, computer skills, or other sciences.

Once you are accepted to the vet tech program, the curriculum will be related to anatomy and physiology, terminology, radiology, pharmacology, hematology, parasitology, anesthesiology, animal nursing and restraint, and large and small animal medicine.

There are even some courses that have labs and hands-on skill sessions to complement classroom work.

And before graduation, you will have to pass an internship in a veterinary clinic or facility.

Job Prospects and Veterinary Technicians’ Average Annual Salary in  New Mexico

The fact that aspiring vet techs in New Mexico would like to know is that the employment prospects are great, being that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will be a 20 percent increase in new job openings for vet techs.

One of the reasons why the career outlook is promising in the veterinary technician field is that there is a huge number of places where these animal healthcare professionals can be employed.

Some of them are clinics and animal hospitals, zoos, humane societies, farms, research facilities, kennels, rescue organizations, veterinary dentistry clinics, surgical hospitals, and many more.

Upon graduation, you can take a look at popular job post websites that offer an array of employment opportunities for vet techs in New Mexico, such as iHireVeterinary, Indeed and the New Mexico Registered Veterinary Technician Association (NMRVTA).

Some of the facilities where you can look for a job are the Arroyo Veterinary Clinic, Calista Animal Hospital, and the Animal Humane New Mexico Veterinary Clinic.

When we speak about job opportunities, we need to mention the average salary of vet techs in New Mexico.

It ranges from $26909 to $37996 depending on the region of the state and the pace where you will work.

If you enjoy working with animals, of any size, we can say that a vet tech career is a promising one with solid employment prospects and that you should go for it.

Regional Salary in New Mexico

Veterinary Technicians by State