To be or not to be.... a Vet Tech

[nildrohain454]

Hi, I don't know if this the right forum, but this appears to be the best one for my question. I graduated from the Ohio State University with a degree in Animal Science, and so far have been unable to do anything with it. I started out wanting to be a veterinarian, but changed my mind because I didn't think I would be able to keep up academically (I graduated with a 3.12). My father keeps pushing me to become a vet tech, but I'm not so sure. As I currently live in West Virginia, all I need is a bachelors (which I have) and to pass a test (which I currently can't find). I think that even if I go through all of this, I wouldn't be hired because I have no practical experience or training in being a vet tech. What do you guys think? 😕

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[katryn]

I would start with getting some experience as a vet tech. Truthfully, the only way to figure out whether or not a job will be satisfying to you is to go do it. Even if you just get hired on as a kennel technician to start it will give you an idea of whether you enjoy the environment.

I'd also talk to the college that you got your degree from. Most colleges have career advisers, both general and specific to the different academic departments, that can talk to you and give you an idea of the different things you can do with your degree that you might enjoy more.

 

[nildrohain454]

Thanks for the answer, but I don't think I made my question very clear. I personally think that I wouldn't mind being a vet tech, the question is whether I would be able to be one with no formal training. Sure, I could study for and probably pass the test, but would a vet's office hire me if I told them that I had the certification, but no practical knowledge of how to apply it. I would assume you would get the required training in a vet tech program, but you really don't get that in an animal science program. I don't want to go through all this trouble to get a certification that would end up being totally useless for me if I'm just going to get thrown out the door.

 

[thereservoirdog]

Are you sure you're eligible to even take the test? I think(correct me if I'm wrong) that here in California you have to have gone through a veterinary technician program or have a certain number of hours of direct clinical experience. I'm not sure if it's similar in West Virginia.

 

[jenniferblue]

Also here in California, you can find some jobs as a vet tech where they will train you. I think that you make more (as you should) if you take courses and then the test. However, on the job training is a possibility.

 

[Pandacinny]

Not every state is the same - in MD, I was able to take the test and get my vet tech license with by bachelor's degree like what the OP is describing for WV.

OP, to answer your question, if I were you, I'd work as an assistant first to get some clinical skills. Tell the vets you apply with that you'd like to get some experience and are preparing to become a licensed veterinary technician. Or maybe see if you can just take a few courses at a local community college with a vet tech program.

I'm sure you could take (and pass) the national test to become a vet tech, but you might not get hired as one with absolutely no experience. Also, vets are going to assume you've done tech work before if you've got your license and coming in to interview and explaining that you've read about animal restraint and tech work, but never DONE any might be...awkward.

As far as taking the test you can't find, it's called the Veterinary Technician's National Exam (VTNE.) It's a national test given once or twice per year (only once in my state, but maybe more in yours.) You'd apply for it through your state board - it's not something you can sign up for independently like the GRE. Or at least, that's how it was when I took it. Not sure if that'll change now that they're doing it computer based. You may also have to take a test for your state.

The info for the WV board is here:
http://www.aavsb.org/DLR/Details.aspx?id=77

And the VTNE info is here:
http://www.aavsb.org/VTNE/

 

[cowgirla]

Out of curiosity, in the states with these "alternate pathways" that only require a bachelors, don't they require a certain number of experience hours as well? I thought NY used to offer that pathway, where you could have a bachelors, plus 3000 hours of supervised experience to qualify.

Another question: Do you have to be a resident of said state to apply there, and sit for the exam there? Say, I want to apply in Delaware, but have never lived or worked in Delaware, but meet all the educational and experience requirements.

Just curious. Not something I'd pursue, but curious.

 

[crittergal]

The only state I know of from personal experience is Washington. I was required to have 5 years experience and two LORs from DVMs to sit for the exam. No degree required and you don't have to be a WA resident. However, I think they may be in the process of (or already have) changing the regs.

 

[Tobysgirl81]

In order to get your license you DO need a certain number of qualifying hours, and you need to be able to prove that you have finished those hours. Yes, you can sit for the exam after only having gotten your Bachelor's but if you have little to no clinical experience it's not going to be easy. The exam is based on 2 years of in class learning which is NOT the same as a Bachelor's in Animal Science. Yes, I had a leg during class up from already having my B.S but the exam covers everything from anatomy and physiology to parasitology to anesthesiology and pharmacology to radiology...Many of which are courses you don't take to get your B.S.

There are rules for what you need to have accomplished prior to taking the NAVTE exam. NAVTE is the national boards, but some states have their own licensing exam which you must take to be licensed there. California has one of the toughest, and I think NY has their own as well. You would need to check with each state. No, you do not need to be a resident in order to take the exam but you do need to pay the fee for that exam. If you do not pass the specific state's exam you are not considered licensed for that state and cannot practice as an LVT.

And yes, if you applied for jobs as an LVT and showed up with zero experience and on the job training the doctors would be pretty upset. However, that's almost impossible to do. I suggest working as an assistant in clinics to see if it's a path you are really interested in. I love nursing and patient care, but I really enjoy the challenge of diagnostics as well which is why I choose to pursue becoming a doctor. However, techs are needed in the workplace as well and a good tech is worth more than their weight in gold.

 

[DVMDream]

Out of curiosity, in the states with these "alternate pathways" that only require a bachelors, don't they require a certain number of experience hours as well? I thought NY used to offer that pathway, where you could have a bachelors, plus 3000 hours of supervised experience to qualify.

Another question: Do you have to be a resident of said state to apply there, and sit for the exam there? Say, I want to apply in Delaware, but have never lived or worked in Delaware, but meet all the educational and experience requirements.

Just curious. Not something I'd pursue, but curious.

I think it is different for every state. In AZ, you do not need a degree to take the exam just 3000 hours of supervised experience and lots of studying. 😛 Although I know that they are changing the regualtions in the very near future (may even be sometime later this year). You will acutally have to go through a veterinary technician program in order to take the AZ vet tech exam. I am not sure of the requirements for the national exam though, since every state has different requirements and I know techs who have gone the path of 3000 hours experience, study, exam, license and they obviously had to take the national exam to get the license so maybe the national exam requirements aren't as strict as some of the state requirements?

 

[Pandacinny]

There are rules for what you need to have accomplished prior to taking the NAVTE exam. NAVTE is the national boards, but some states have their own licensing exam which you must take to be licensed there.

I think we're convusing acronyms here. The Veterinary Technician's National Exam is the VTNE - that's the exam you take to become a vet tech. The NAVLE is for vets and the NAVTA is a national organization for vet techs. (Just trying to keep it straight for ease of googling for anyone else who reads the thread and is interested.)

 

[KiaKia]

Edit: I'm a long-time lurker so I did remember this thread:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=695817&highlight=vet+tech

I'm in a somewhat similar boat.
I did apply to vet school this year (looks like I'm not getting in), but now that I've graduated from college and I can't find a fulltime job doing ANYTHING, going the vet tech route seems like a good plan - it's a job I'll probably like.

However, getting a foot in the door is hard. Nobody is hiring inexperienced kennel techs/assistants in my area, and I have practically no clinical experience.

I've called a few vet clinics to see if I can shadow, hopefully this will lead to something (going to visit one today!), but I'm not sure.

At this point, I just want a job. Sure I'd still like to become a veterinarian someday, but there's the fear that I'll look like (and honestly, turn into) one of those people that became techs just to get into vet school, but hey, it's a job in a field I want to be in.

Background: I have a BA in math, ~3 Cs total, 2 in pre-vet.
GPA is about 3.0. (I can keep up academically, I had a 2 bad semesters)
Original life plan: study sensory neuroscience.
New life plan, now that the original didn't work out: veterinary field.

 

[VeganSoprano]

Every state is different right now, but this year is *the last year* you will be able to take the VTNE without graduating from an accredited tech school. So even if you are not totally sure, it would be worth taking the test this year so you can possibly save yourself 2 more years of school. It's not a lifetime commitment to the field, just a way of keeping your options open.

 

[Tobysgirl81]

I think we're convusing acronyms here. The Veterinary Technician's National Exam is the VTNE - that's the exam you take to become a vet tech. The NAVLE is for vets and the NAVTA is a national organization for vet techs. (Just trying to keep it straight for ease of googling for anyone else who reads the thread and is interested.)

Bah, you're right. I got my acronyms all mixed up. I just remember looking for the VTNE and getting sent to the NAVTA site when I was taking the exam. Anyhow, thanks for the correction!

 

[Pandacinny]

Maryland - I graduated with my bachelor's in biology and that was sufficient to sit for the exam. I can't remember right now whether or not I needed to have a certain amount of experience.

 

[katydid628]

I got hired at a clinic with literally no experience as a veterinary technician (I had some experience as a dog bather at petsmart, but that is it in terms of animal experience) and while at first all I did was basically small things (helping doctors in rooms, preparing/reading fecals, helping with minor procedures, that sort of thing) had I stayed at that clinic I would have eventually been promoted to a more involved technician (placing catheters, helping with surgeries, etc.) after some in-house training. I'm sure it depends on where you are (I'm in Florida) but if it's possible that would be my recommendation, to find someplace where they really need a technician and are willing to train in-house, and then you can learn as you go! Not sure if that helps or not lol, but that's the experience I've had😛

 

[Pandacinny]

Katydid, I think the difference here is in being a "veterinary technician" vs an RVT/CVT/LVT. In many states (like VA), you MUST be licensed to perform anything beyond general assisting and restraint type stuff. In others (like MD and FL), you can practically pull any 17 year old off the street, put scrubs on them and hey - a vet tech who can legally do everything/almost everything an LVT can! (Not that there aren't EXCELLENT on the job trained techs out there with a ton of experience, too.)

The OP is considering becoming a licensed/registered tech (terminology also varies by state), which probably has something to do with licensing requirements in their state and more to do with job security. I know I got offered a lot more jobs and opportunities after I got my license, but then again I'd been in the field longer and met more people by then, too, which certainly didn't hurt either.

 

[VeganSoprano]

Some states let you take the exam with a bachelor's degree in a related field. The best thing is to look at the requirements in your home state and, if applicable, states you can easily get to in order to take the exam. For me, those states would be MD, VA, PA, DE, and WV. Of those states, I am board eligible only in DE so that's where I'll be going in June for the test.

 

[beausky]

Some larger vet hospitals have positions, something along the lines of a clinic assistant, that require little to no experience but just a high school diploma. There, you can gain experience with restraining animals at first or dealing with clients and eventually being trained with more vet tech duties. It's definitely possible to start from nothing but your desire to be involved, that's what I did to gain small animal experience 🙂 Good luck!