How to Become a Vet Office Manager in New York

The well-being of the animals is taken seriously in New York.

If you want to be part of those trying to heal animals and contemplate a career change, becoming a veterinary office manager could be an ideal fit for you.

As a vet office manager, you will support animal welfare by managing the administrative functions of a veterinary practice, without being involved in medical procedures or surgeries.

As a veterinary office manager, you will handle crucial administrative tasks to ensure the practice runs smoothly.

To learn more about this fulfilling career path, read on.

Job Description for Vet Office Managers

Veterinary office managers are found in animal clinics, hospitals, and sometimes rescue organizations.

While their roles resemble those of administrative assistants or general office managers, their specific duties can vary depending on the workplace.

Common responsibilities of veterinary office managers include:

• Scheduling appointments
• Managing client billing
• Ordering and overseeing supplies
• Supervising office staff

It is essential for both veterinary practice owners and aspiring veterinary office managers to be familiar with these duties.

Typical candidate requirements include:

• Having from 1 to 7 years of relevant experience
• A high school diploma or GED, though some vet practices may prefer candidates with a related degree

Becoming a Vet Office Manager in New York

To enter this career path there are a few steps to follow.

Start by completing your high school diploma or earn its equivalent, GED.

When the first step is completed, you can advance your education with an associate or bachelor’s degree.

The degree has to be in a related field.

Furthermore, you can enhance your qualifications by pursuing some certification.

If you want a well-respected certification for this role, choose the one offered by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA).

To earn this certification, you’ll need to enroll in the VHMA program and pass the required exam.

While VHMA membership is optional, it has its benefits.

New York has plenty testing centers for this certification.

The exam comes with the following fees:

• $675 for VHMA members
• $825 for non-members

Vet Office Manager Training Programs in New York

Once you are done with the schools, you may want to know where you can train.

Let’s see what schools are available in New York.

The City University of New York

The Veterinary Office Manager course is designed to be available online 100%.

When you enroll in the program you’ll have to finish 450 hours in 18 months.

This course is comprehensive for veterinary office managers and includes key training in Microsoft Office, beneficial for professionals at any career stage.

Additionally, you will receive basic veterinary assistant training learn how to use QuickBooks Online.

For all this you’ll need to pay $6,170 and you can use Affirm to pay the tuition in monthly installments.

You’ll also receive PDF files with the study materials and 1 year access to QuickBooks Online.

At the end of the course, you’ll need to take 3 exams and their cost is covered through vouchers.

The exams are for:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• QuickBooks Online

What the tuition doesn’t cover is the fee for the Proctor of the exams.

The requirements for enrollment are:

• A high school diploma, but it’s not mandatory
• A PC with Windows 10 at the very least
• The up-to-date versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Office 365, 2021, or 2019 (paid for out of pocket)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader

You will become proficient in:

• The anatomy and physiology of major organ systems
• Managing medical records and communicating effectively with clients and coworkers
• Techniques for restraining animals, taking vital signs, and bathing
• Effective methods for creating and sharing information or data
• Analysis of accounts, financial documents, and reports
• Essential bookkeeping duties and tasks
• Basic accounting principles and QuickBooks functionality to support bookkeeping practices

Salary for Vet Office Manager in New York

Once you have a better understanding of what a vet office manager is and does, it’s time to consider the potential earnings in this role.

In New York, veterinary office managers typically earn an average annual salary of $92,084.

However, salaries can vary based on several factors, like experience, location, facility size, and demand, among others.

The table below shows the cities with the highest salaries for this occupation.

Regional Salary in New York

Vet Office Manager by State