While every member of the veterinary medicine team is important, veterinary assistants play an integral role. As a veterinary assistant, each day is different and offers an opportunity to learn something new, and help the veterinary technicians and veterinarians care for the animals who need them. From helping a pet owner understand the importance of dental care for their furry friend, to providing the front desk with some helping hands scheduling appointments, veterinary assistants do more things in a day than people realize.
If you love animals and are considering a career helping them, becoming a veterinary assistant might be the right choice for you. Here are a few more reasons to take the first step toward a rewarding career.
- You get to work with animals. This is a no-brainer for most people considering a job in veterinary sciences. As a veterinary assistant, you will do everything from helping fill scripts to keeping exam rooms cleaned and prepped, setting up lab work, helping with inventory, updating medical records and assisting with animal nursing care, and much more.
- You will help humans too. As a veterinary assistant, you often encounter animals and their owners at an extremely stressful and upsetting time. While you play an important support role in the care of animals, you also play a large part in helping owners cope with a variety of different situations. In addition to the good times, you also play an important role in comforting owners during tough times. So, if you want to work with animals because you are not a fan of working with people, this might not be the career for you.
- Becoming a veterinary assistant can be a great stepping-stone to a career as a veterinary technician or even a doctor of veterinary medicine. At Pima Medical Institute, your veterinary assistant certification can help you transition seamlessly into the veterinary technician associate degree program.
At Pima Medical, you will learn in real-world lab settings.At Pima Medical Institute, you can earn your certification in about nine months and be working in the field in under a year. It is important to remember that a veterinary assistant is an entry-level job, so your salary will likely need to grow as your experience does. Most people enter this field for the love of helping animals. Many continue their education to expand their knowledge, advance their career, and in turn, make a larger salary. The good news is this career is one that has stability and job opportunities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the field are expected to grow 16 percent by 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. The trend of increased consumer spending on pets is expected to continue to rise, creating many job opportunities for qualified candidates in the coming years.
Take the first step toward a career in veterinary sciences now.
