How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Vermont

Veterinary Technician Job Description

The frequent question that both people interested in enrolling in a vet tech program and those who are just eager to find out more about this career ask is: What are Veterinary Technicians’ daily tasks?

As a Licensed Veterinary Technician, your tasks may include all of the following and even many more, depending on the facility you will work for:

• recording a patient’s medical history;
• assisting with surgeries
• collecting blood, urine or stool samples;
• developing radiographs;
• preparing animals and equipment for surgery;
• processing laboratory tests
• assisting the veterinarian with physical exams
• performing anesthesia
• administration of medications
• recording temperature, pulse, and respiration
• sterilizing laboratory and surgical equipment
• vaccinating animals
• providing routine postoperative care
• weighing animals
• performing intravenous feedings
• maintaining treatment records
• maintaining an inventory of pharmaceuticals, equipment, and supplies

As a Registered Veterinary Technician, you can find employment in a variety of facilities such as medical specialty clinics, rescue shelters, exotic animal rescue, and rehabilitation facilities, teaching colleges, research laboratories, non-profit organizations, and in the military and government.

Accredited Vermont Veterinary Technology Programs

Unfortunately, there is only one Veterinary Technician School in Vermont that can boast the accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

The Vet Tech school in Vermont teaches students hands-on experience with both domestic and zoo or exhibition animals such as lions, tigers, bears, and more.

Students also get a chance to work with lab animals including mice, rats, and guinea pigs, and exotic animals like eagles, lizards, snakes, owls, hawks, vultures, eagles, and hawks.

Being that the curriculum is designed so as to meet all the possible vet tech requirements, graduates can take the knowledge and skills and get jobs at places like; zoos, universities, nonprofit and government, at large and small animal hospitals and veterinary practices, pharmaceutical, and biological research laboratories, feed companies and animal shelters.

Also, those who are interested in developing their skills even further can pursue additional education, whether a four-year veterinary technology degree or a degree in a related area such as animal science.

Vermont is proud to have at least one associate of applied science (AAS) degree program at Vermont Technical College.

This is a competitive, 2-year vet tech program and being that the school wants to meet the needs of its students, it boasts a huge array of scholarships open to vet tech students at this school who cannot afford to pay tuition, such as:

• Carolyn Ferris Memorial Veterinary Technician Scholarship
• Central Vermont Tractor Club Scholarship
• Commonwealth Dairy Scholarship
• Edward Allen Pierce Memorial Scholarship
• Green Mountain Dog Club Scholarship
• John D. Bryant Memorial Scholarship
• Lang Farm Scholarship
• Maria Balsam Milone Scholarship
• Woodstock Dog Club Scholarship

Students gain hands-on knowledge and skills that they will first use when passing the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) as well as later on when they start practicing.

In addition to the single on-campus program available to aspiring veterinary technicians in Vermont, there are also several CVTEA-accredited online programs which you may enroll in.

You will be attending online classes, while the filed work has to be done in any facility near your place.

Requirements to Become a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Vermont

Vermont belongs to those few states that do not require state licensing to work as a veterinary technician.

Vermont instead uses a system of private voluntary certification administered by the Vermont Veterinary Technician Association (VVTA).

The Vermont Veterinary Technicians Association (VVTA) main aim is to offer a voluntary professional certification in the veterinary technician field, but it also boasts an array of continuing education (CE) opportunities to keep these animal healthcare specialists up-to-date on the latest advances in the field.

Furthermore, the VVTA focuses on improving the communication between pet-owners and veterinary workers, as well as serving as an advocate for people in this important line of work.

The reason why you should choose to get this optional certification is that as a Licensed Veterinary Technician enables you will be able to meet the requirements required by other states, you can look for better job opportunities as veterinarians tend to hire educated and licensed vet techs rather than those without certification and you can expect greater salaries.

Job Prospects and Veterinary Technicians’ Average Annual Salary in  Vermont

Vermont has 450 vet techs working in the state, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and just as in all the other US states, employment opportunities for veterinary technicians is projected to grow 30 percent.

New job opportunities will increase in small pet animal clinics in an urban setting as well as in large animal facilities such as ranches and farms.

Vermont has a very competitive salary for Veterinary Technicians in comparison to other states and according to the statistics, veterinary technicians in Vermont earn an average of $ 34916 per year.

A Registered Veterinary Technician’s salary can go as high as $ 41489 per year.

A Veterinary Research Health Technician can make $36,000 per year, proving the fact that salary highly depends on the facility where you find work and what kind of duties you will perform.

If you have already got your education and you hope to find a good and satisfying job in the field, we suggest that you take a look at a Vermont Veterinary Technician Association (VVTA) website, taking into consideration the fact that it has listed employment opportunities for vet techs at numerous veterinary facilities including Green Mountain Animal Hospital, Fitzgerald Veterinary Hospital, Springfield Animal Hospital, Rutland Veterinary Clinic & Surgical Center, Qi Veterinary Clinic, Burlington Emergency & Veterinary Specialists, Country Animal Hospital, Long Trail Veterinary Center, Sequist Animal Hospital, Bear Swamp Veterinary Service, Chelsea Animal Hospital, Petit Brook Veterinary Clinic, Onion River Animal Hospital, Richmond Animal Hospital, and Rutland Veterinary Clinic at Castleton Corners.

Regional Salary in Vermont

Veterinary Technicians by State