How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Connecticut

Connecticut has good prospects for future veterinary technicians.

If you want to know the path to become one, read on!

Keep in mind that you must be a person dedicated to working with animals and as part of a team.

Veterinary Technician Job Description and Duties in Connecticut

Veterinarians must supervise the work of veterinary technicians.

If vet tech were working in human healthcare, they’d be nurses.

The duties of a vet tech include:

• Administering medications
• Taking x-rays,
• Processing tissue samples,
• Assisting in surgery and emergency care
• Performing lab tests
• Teeth cleaning,
• Electrocardiography,
• Bandaging,
• Wound cleaning,
• Maintaining records of meds, supplies, and patients

There are two procedures that these professionals cannot do:

• Prescribing medicine
• Surgeries

Education and Training Required for Veterinary Technicians in Connecticut

If you previously worked as a vet assistant before, you might not need extra education and training.

Otherwise, it’s best for you to enroll in a program with accreditation from the Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).

Upon graduation, you can earn one of these degrees, based on the duration of the program:

• Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology – 2 years
• B.S. in Veterinary Technology – 4 years

To apply to a program you usually need:

• An application
• A high school diploma or GED
• A rabies vaccination
• Some experience working in a vet clinic
• To have an interview with a program faculty member

You’ll also have to complete a few classes before you start the actual courses in the program:

• Basic biology,
• Chemistry,
• Math,
• Introductory computer skills

Below you can find the schools that offer accredited programs for future veterinary technicians.

Students will have to attend these classes:

• Behavioral science,
• Communication,
• Math,
• Social science
• Humanities
• Introduction to veterinary technology
• Anatomy and physiology
• Emergency care and first aid
• Pathology
• Anesthesiology
• Radiology
• Immunology
• Pharmacology
• Parasitology
• Toxicology
• Nutrition
• Surgical nursing
• Large and small animal care

Farm calls and field trips will enhance your clinical experience.

However, your training doesn’t stop there as in the last semester you’ll have to attend practice in an animal hospital or facility.

Once you graduate you’ll earn your degree, and you can start working right away.

Becoming a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Connecticut

Unlike other states, in Connecticut, you’re not required to become licensed to work as a veterinary technician.

Doing so will turn you into a better candidate and can increase your salary.

The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association is the main body overseeing the veterinary industry in this state.

This association is also the best place to find jobs and find industry-related news from Connecticut.

For the VTNE you need:

• An application form
• Proof you graduated from the training program described earlier
• To pay some fees
  • $300 for the exam
  • $100 for the license
• Score at least 70% on the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE)

The licensing exam lasts for 3 hours and is 150 questions long.

This license has to be renewed every year though.

Usually, a fee and some hours of continuing education are needed for this.

Employment and Salaries for Veterinary Technicians in Connecticut

So, where can you find employment in Connecticut, as a vet technician?

These are most of the facilities hiring such professionals:

• Private clinical practices
• Zoos
• Veterinary teaching hospitals
• Rescue centers
• Wildlife or exotic animal rehabilitation centers
• Humane societies,
• Research facilities,
• Pharmaceutical companies

As a licensed in Connecticut, you may want to apply for a job with these facilities first:

• Connecticut Veterinary Center, West Hartford
• Pieper Memorial Emergency Veterinary and Specialty Center, Middletown
• Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine, North Haven
• SPCA of Connecticut, Monroe

Remember that often your location will influence your salary probably as much as your experience will.

Additional Information for Veterinary Technicians in Connecticut

To always be informed of the news in the industry these are the best sources in Connecticut:

• Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association
• National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA)
• Veterinary Career Network
• Vet Tech Life