What Do the Jobs Entail?
Veterinary jobs will involve feeding and cleaning of animals in different settings. Some of these jobs will be in animal clinics or hospitals. Others will be in laboratory settings. The homes of the animals must be cleaned and disinfected. The animals must be examined regularly for illness or the recovery process they are going through.
Some animals require surgery and will need special care after undergoing these procedures. A veterinarian job will also require making sure the animals get their medicines as and when needed. There are also jobs in laboratories that will require the workers to monitor the animals kept there.
What are the Job Projections for this Field?
A projected change in the veterinarian job is expected to take place from 2006 to 2016. There will be a rapid increase in the number of jobs. The position of veterinary technicians focuses mainly on three fields: animal health, animal husbandry, and facility management. These are the three top areas for which training is required in this field.
Due to the need for research in many areas of human medicine, there will be an increased need for laboratory animal technicians. There are three levels of certifications required for this field of expertise. Assistant laboratory animal technician is the lowest level for which one can become certified. Laboratory animal technician is the next level and laboratory animal technologist requires the top level of certification.
The Education
The veterinarians will graduate from an AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) accredited programs, which in turn will allow them to take credential exams, no matter the state in which they reside or work.
The technologists who work in this area of animal healthcare normally work as veterinarians’ assistants. This means their training will be under the close supervision of veterinarians. Learning the use of the medical equipment they will be using is one of the aspects of these positions.
The Pay
The pay range for veterinary jobs as well as laboratory jobs will depend upon several factors — the location, the type of company for which one works, and the area of expertise. The salary can range from $7.27 to $14.96 per hour or $15,120 to $31,110 per year. Of course, the pay can be more for those who have experience of several years.
This is a good field in which to train if you think you would enjoy the medical field and working with animals. The positions that are available and will be coming up in the near future will be more in demand than ever due to 1) the number of pets that people have and 2) the research needed to make more progress in the fight against diseases. If you feel that you could make a difference when it comes to the animals, who are not only our friends but provide answers to many of our problems as well, this may be the field for you.
