How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Wisconsin

Veterinary Technician Job Description

Luckily for animal-lovers in Wisconsin, there is no need to worry about the employment upon graduation from a vet tech program.

In fact, the Wisconsin Veterinary Technician Association (WVTA) has a job post board and a quarterly e-journal, through which job opportunities in the state are listed.

You need to know that veterinarians tend to employ those vet techs who are educated and well trained to provide excellent care, relieve animal suffering, inform the public, assume accountability, protect confidential information, commit to continued learning, and collaborate with other veterinary professionals and these skill can only be gained from high-quality educators in accredited schools.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides a list of desired skills in the vet tech profession as well as their possible responsibilities which may vary depending on the place they work and the duties they perform.

Some of their duties include managing veterinary health records; restraining animal patients during routine exams and vaccinations; helping licensed vets with common procedures, maintaining clinic inventories; sterilizing rooms and equipment; giving first aid to animals; examining laboratory samples and many more.

Accredited Wisconsin Veterinary Technology Programs

If we take into consideration that education is important no matter which career field you decide to get involved, it is worth mentioning that enrolling in an accredited Wisconsin Veterinary Technology Program will be a perfect solution for aspiring veterinary technicians in Wisconsin.

The state boasts three programs accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).

Why is accreditation so important?

Institutions that possess the accreditation have reached the highest level of educational standards and graduates are allowed to take the state exam and get a license.

One CVTEA-accredited AAS vet tech program is available at the Truax Campus of Madison College and courses at Madison College include lab animal science; veterinary medical terminology; animal care and management; animal disease, pharmacology; veterinary clinical pathology; to mention just a few.

The school is proud to announce that the program is offered both on-campus, and as a hybrid learning format offering a combination of in-person and online courses.

Milwaukee Career College provides an accredited associate degree in veterinary technology.

At this school, the total credits equal 73.5 and include 15 lecture hour credits, 30 lab hour credits, and 45 externship hour credits.

Last but not least is Gateway Technical College which offers a high-demand veterinary technician program.

If this is considered the ideal college for you, you need to know that the school only accepts applicants from June 15th through July 30th each year and if enrolled, students must complete labs and an internship for a total of 64 credits.

Besides on-campus programs, nowadays more popular are accredited online vet tech programs which are usually chosen by people who do not have a chance of attending on-campus classes or live far away from facilities.

The online option is designed for people with private or work obligations that do not allow them to meet the on-campus schedule but would like to study at their own pace and convenience.

For some perspective vet techs in WI, there are several distance-based vet tech programs accredited by the CVTEA and they can expect a combination of online didactic coursework and the completion of clinical practicums at local veterinary facilities which approved by the institutions.

They can choose the part-time, 70-credit program at the prestigious Purdue University, which can be completed in three years’ time.

It consists of 27 web-based courses and 18 supervised mentorships.

Another popular online vet tech program is available at Penn Foster College.

Requirements to Become a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Wisconsin

The state of Wisconsin has a determined list of requirements that each applicant has to meet so as to Become a Licensed Vet-Tech in Wisconsin

• You must be 18 years or older.
• You must be able to lift 50 pounds.
• You must be able to distinguish color
• You must be of good hearing and vision.
• You must successfully complete the 2-year Veterinary Technologies course work including internship and graduate with an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science at the school which must be approved and accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board
• You will need to take and pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination and the Wisconsin Rules and Statutes test which covers vet tech rules and laws in the state.

However, this is not the end of your vet tech education as you will also have to renew your license every two years after you have completed at least 15 hours of continued education.

Job Prospects and Veterinary Technicians’ Average Annual Salary in Wisconsin

We know that you will be glad to discover that there is a promising career outlook for vet techs in Wisconsin.

The future looks very bright for veterinary technicians even though the field of veterinary technology is the fastest-growing profession in the state,

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted a 34 percent explosion in job openings.

However, it is not just the job options that interest new vet techs.

It is the salary that is also important, even though these people are primarily there to help animals in need.

Vet techs in WI make slightly lower salaries compared to the nation.

The average salaries range from $28480 to $40215 depending on the region vet tech works, his/her qualifications, and the tasks he/she performs.

It is natural that those with greater experience and more daily duties earn higher wages.

Regional Salary in Wisconsin

Veterinary Technicians by State