Veterinary technician

A veterinary technician (also called a vet tech), is a person trained and liscensed to assist veterinarians. Their job is similar to that of a nurse. They scan animals with various devices like X-ray machines, do blood tests, give anaesthesia, and help the veterinarian in other tasks. Vet techs are different from veterinary assistants, for the latter has no training or license to perform a lot of the tests.

Education

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is responsible for accrediting schools with either a 2-year Associate's degree or a (rarely offered) 4-year Bachelor's degree. The organization just recently started to accredit schools that offer distance education. Different states have different titles for veterinary technicians. Some call them Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), some, Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), and still others Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT). However, graduates of any AVMA accredited program may take a national certification exam (and in some states a state exam and/or references are required as well) and, upon passing, become certified/registered/licensed in any state.

Related Topics:
American Veterinary Medical Association - Accrediting - School - Associate's degree - Bachelor's degree - Distance education

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The technician is then subject to the regulations of the state Veterinary Medical Practice Act of the state she or he practices in.

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