Vet Tech Informative Speech

Veterinary Technicians must have the desire and ability to do it all, from taking blood of a sick family pet to restraining that mopey miniature poodle that has no desire to be at the doctor’s office. Veterinary technicians do it all. If there were a dream career out there for me it definitely would be that of a veterinary technician. To become a certified veterinary technician one must attend a two or three year American Veterinarian Medical Association (AVMA) accredited veterinary technician program.

After earning the associate’s degree in the technology program one must then take their state board exam, in the state in which they live so they can license practice. In this exam there are oral, written and practical portions. Currently there are 40 states and provinces that certify and register licensed technicians. Volunteering at a vet clinic is the most rewarding opportunity that one could ever have. I have been volunteering in one for three years.

Recently a job opportunity has opened for me to be able to work part time walking dogs, cleaning kennels, administering medications and giving baths as a kennel helper which is a good experience towards my goal to be a veterinary technician. Employment of veterinary technicians is expected to grow 52% from 2010 to 2020. This is much faster than the average for all other occupations. A growing pet population is going to require more people to work in this field. In rural areas job opportunities are expected to be excellent.

On average veterinary technician’s make $29,710 per year or $14. 28 per hour. Similar occupations are animal care and service workers, medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, veterinary assistants, and veterinarians. Veterinary technician’s duties that are performed on a daily basis and some of the most important are the preliminary examinations of the patient as well as getting a complete medical history of that patient. This helps the doctor begin the diagnosis process and what tests they would like to perform on the patient.

Some other duties that a veterinary technician performs are caring for hospitalized patients, such as monitoring fluids as well as administering medications around the clock. Other duties that it entails are radiology as well as performing laboratory procedures such as blood work, fecal analyses and urine analyses and ear exams. Veterinary technicians don’t just have to work at an animal hospital. They can also work at certain shelters and humane societies, veterinary supply companies, diagnostic laboratories, and some eterinary technicians work at zoo and wildlife centers. Also, state and national park systems, some cities, and some universities or colleges require the services of veterinary technicians. Whether it’s working at a small animal practice, a large animal practice or even working at a shelter, as long as you are helping animals it is rewarding in my eyes to get them happy and healthy again. Working at a veterinary clinic is enabling me to achieve my education goals, because I am required to shadow a licensed veterinarian or work in a licensed veterinary clinic/hospital.

This is a great benefit because my coworkers are always asking me questions and explaining the answers if I do not know them. A lot of the emergencies that come into the clinic are some that I have read in my textbook as well, which helps me better assist the doctor, the patient, and the family. Seeing a variety of problems that animals have that come into the clinic can be difficult especially when they are not able to talk to us and tell us what the problem is. This makes the challenge all the more rewarding when you can see that your knowledge, concern, and expertise has made an animal healthy and its owners happy again.