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Old 05-28-14, 08:43 AM  
Tugger31
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Question Veterinary Field question

I have a friend who is thinking about changing careers and is looking at becoming a Vet Tech. What is the difference between a Vet Technician and Technologist, 2 yr degree vs 4 yr degree but is the pay any different? Is this a good job with good prospects. She is very smart and probably could be a vet but she doesnt want to go back to school for that long. She's also considering something non-animal like an Occupational Therapist, but going back to school so late in life with kids to raise is daunting.

Any thoughts on those in these careers? Or maybe other similar careers?
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Old 05-28-14, 10:43 AM  
Honeydew
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
I'm not sure about the vet stuff but regarding OT, I believe it's a 4 year program and OTA(occupational therapist assistant) is usually 2 years. I know that physical therapist assitant can do everything the physical therapist can do except evaluations and discharges. Maybe that is how it works with OT and the vet tech and technologist. Maybe someone who knows more about it will chime in.
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Old 05-28-14, 11:10 AM  
JENILU
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: AL
Another good option is Respiratory Therapy. I did the first year of this till I had a health setback. Its a very good program and career. Pay scale was high when I was in school for it. not sure about now.
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Old 05-28-14, 12:21 PM  
ellaenchanted
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Has she looked at job postings to compare the two? I think that would be the best bet. She will also want to consider which will give her the best return on investment. She doesn't want to be stuck with loans or have spent all that money only to find that the salary isn't worth it for a mid-career change.

Occupational Therapy are Master's programs unless you want to be an assistant. It is a great field but, again, Master's programs are expensive so it would have to be an in-demand field in her area. Same for Physical Therapy and Speech/Language Pathology.

Would it be easy to apply the credits of the 2 year programs to the the 4 year if she decides to continue?
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Old 05-28-14, 03:31 PM  
PrairieGem
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Quote:
Originally Posted by Honeydew View Post
I know that physical therapist assitant can do everything the physical therapist can do except evaluations and discharges. Maybe that is how it works with OT and the vet tech and technologist. Maybe someone who knows more about it will chime in.
I am not a vet tech, nor do I play one on TV , but I have six elderly dogs and have spent a lot of time at vets' offices over the last decade. I'm not familiar with the term "technologist;" assuming it's like a veterinary assistant? Two of the assistants at our primary vets' office have gone back to school and gotten their veterinary technician degrees, so I would think that the prospects for pay, job security, and advancement must be much better. The clinic also recently hired an extra assistant, to handle more of the clerical work at the office. (A VERY IMPORTANT JOB! Our clinic would be lost without the ace assistant who handles everything.)

Vet techs can draw blood, administer injections (except the rabies vaccine, which by law must be given by the doctor), treat wounds... many of the types of things a physician's assistant (PA) does at your doctor's office. The assistants can... assist. Hold the pet while the techs and doctors are working on them, trim nails, clean ears, etc, manage the office, etc. The assistants at our clinic are also trained to administer laser therapy.

Much of the day-to-day animal care at a big vet hospital with an ICU is done by technicians--monitoring vital signs, giving IV fluids and other medications, helping during surgery/ultrasounds/X-rays/etc... and if you have a VERY GOOD clinic, answering client medical questions by phone!

***
I recently read a job report that listed dental hygienist as one of Top 20 jobs in the US (based on job satisfaction, pay, advancement, flexibility, security, etc). Average pay is something like $70,000--and it was the only job on the list that did not require a college degree or more. (Personally, I'd take less money to work with animals instead of people, but YMMV! )
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Old 05-28-14, 07:09 PM  
sherry7899
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
I was in a program to become a physical therapist assistant (I could not complete it for medical reasons). We were repeatedly told that the credits from the PTA program would NOT transfer towards the coursework for a Physical Therapist degree.

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Old 05-28-14, 11:36 PM  
smith938
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Houston, Texas
I remember someone on another forum switching careers and doing the vet tech stuff - then quit that job because apparently she hadn't taken into account how physical it could be (she was overweight with bad knees). some vets expect the big dogs to be lifted on the table (had that happen with a couple but then the finally left my lab and german shepherd on the floor) but even holding them sometimes took 2(if 2 were available otherwise the 1 had to do it all) lots of kneeling and bending involved.
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Old 05-29-14, 04:45 AM  
akaAnnie
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: New York
Also with vet techs there (at least there used to be)lots of jobs available so it looked like a good field to get into, but they were actually low paying with jobs and many of those were not full time.
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Old 05-31-14, 09:08 AM  
jahra
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
There is a vet tech in our area who provides home care for dogs who
are ill and living at home. She has made her own business providing
day care and services ( visiting the home to give medications when
owner is working). So , your friend might like to check in her
area what vet techs are doing beside working in an office.

If your friend is near a Veterinary Medical University, many have
conferences yearly for the doctors and their staff. It is a good way
to meet people in the field and learn if the career is a direction for you personally.
There is usually a cost ( which often goes to a scholarship and support for the next years conference).

Best wishes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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