How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Mississippi

Becoming a veterinary technician in Mississippi means you’ll be part of one of the most promising industries across the nation.

Read this guide to find out what you need to do to start this career if you like to work with both animals and people!

Veterinary Technician Job Description and Duties in Mississippi

Veterinary techs must work under the supervision of veterinarians.

Licensed vets usually assign this type of tasks:

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

They will not assign these tasks:

• Performing surgeries
• Deciding on a treatment plan

Education and Training Required for Veterinary Technicians in Mississippi

Before you can start working as a vet technician in this state, you must obtain a license from the Mississippi Board of Veterinary Medicine.

Attending a training program with accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association is a mandatory step before licensure.

This is not all, for you must obtain either an Associate’s or a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science, for Veterinary Technology.

You can spend between 2 and 4 years in training, based on the degree and career options you want.

You don’t have to go for the Bachelor’s degree from the start though.

Students must also find an internship at an approved veterinary practice as part of their training.

The schools offering these diplomas might not help with this aspect, though you can always ask.

For more details regarding the education of future veterinary techs, you can consult with the schools below.

If you feel these schools don’t offer what you need, you can also consider distance learning as long as you can do the practice period on your own.

Only the candidates that meet certain criteria will be accepted into the programs.

Keep in mind that the programs usually have limited available spots.

Here are some common requirements:

• Age of 18 years old
• A high school diploma or GED
• 2 letters of recommendation – one from a licensed veterinarian
• A health insurance
• Buy a medical malpractice policy
• 360 hours of previous practical experience
  • It can even be a volunteering position in a vet’s office.
• Grades over “B”

These classes must be completed by most students before the academic year:

• Biology,
• English
• Math,
• Basic computer science,
• Psychology,
• Humanities

To be accepted, you also need very good grades for these subjects.

The curriculum may vary slightly between schools, but these are the main topics you will study:

• Introduction to veterinary technology
• Anatomy and physiology
• Emergency care and first aid
• Pathology
• Anesthesiology
• Radiology
• Immunology
• Pharmacology
• Parasitology
• Toxicology
• Nutrition

Becoming a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Mississippi

Once you graduate, you’ll have to take and score at least 70% on the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE).

This is the licensing exam for which you’ll need:

• An application form
• Official transcript from the school you attended
• To pay some fees
  • $300 for the exam
  • $100 for the license
• To pass the jurisprudence exam

You’ll have 3 hours to answer 170 questions.

Employment and Salaries for Veterinary Technicians in Mississippi

It’s time to know more about your future work-life after you get licensed.

You can apply for a position at these facilities:

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

Here are the names of good companies you could be interested in working for:

• Banfield Pet Hospital, Jackson
• Animal Medical Center, Hattiesburg
• Humane Society of South Mississippi, Gulfport
• U.S. Army Veterinary Services, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi

Additional Information for Veterinary Technicians in Mississippi

Use these resources for more information and stay updated:

• Mississippi Veterinary Medical Foundation
• Veterinary Hospitals Association
• National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA)
• Veterinary Career Network
• Vet Tech Life, an online journal for veterinary technicians
• Vetcetera