
Vet assistants work closely with animals, performing tasks such as feeding, calming or restraining, exercising, bathing, or caring for them after surgery. Because a degree isn’t required some people wonder whether they can simply walk into a veterinary hospital with little or no experience and apply for a veterinary assistant job! While there is nothing to prevent you from trying, applicants will be far better qualified if they have a working knowledge of such things as hospital procedures, animal restraint, pharmacy & pharmacology, surgical preparation, small animal nursing, laboratory procedures, radiology & ultrasound imaging and more.Ībsolutely! Being a veterinary assistant is a great introduction to the veterinary world, allowing you to see what it’s like to work in a veterinary clinic, research lab, or other workplace involving caring for animals.

No, but the better prepared you are, the greater the chances of your success in this field. Do veterinary assistants need a degree?.There may also be front office requirements like filing paperwork and making appointments, so good organizational skills and attention to detail are helpful qualities for a veterinary assistant.

A lot of a vet assistant’s tasks revolve around animal care, such as feeding, taking lab samples, bathing, and sterilizing exam rooms. Love of all kinds of animals is important, but vet assistants must have good communication skills and be able to compassionately work with people under stressful conditions. Earning a veterinary assistant certificate helps make you more marketable and provides a solid foundation of knowledge, skills and hands-on experience and contacts at the hospital you apprentice in. No state or national requirements or licensing programs exist for veterinary assistants, but a high school diploma or equivalency is necessary. What qualifications do I need to be a veterinary assistant?.Self-motivated students who follow the exam schedule should be able to complete the certification process in twelve months. With the online program, the length of time can vary from student to student, depending on the amount of time that can be dedicated to coursework.

In fact ABC’s veterinary assistant program combines the best of all worlds, with a self-paced online component, and a hands-on externship in the field. Unlike becoming a veterinary technician, which requires a two-year associate's degree or a four-year Bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology, earning a veterinary assistant certificate takes as little as 10 to 14 months. How many years does it take to become a veterinary assistant?.Traditional Classroom Environment in Los Angeles California.
