If you are thinking about training for a veterinary technician career, you have made a wonderful choice!
Vet techs enjoy many great benefits including an abundance of job opportunities and flexible work schedules.
However, before you begin training for your new career, you need to be aware of its ongoing educational requirements.
Typical Requirements
While earning an associate degree and passing your state exam are both required to obtain your vet tech license, this is just the beginning of your education and training. Depending on which state you work in, you may need to complete various continuing education courses from time to time as well.
In fact, most states require the completion of 10 or more CE courses each time you renew your vet tech license. The number of hours you may need to complete will vary depending on which state you live in. For example, while South Carolina requires 10 hours of CE courses every two years, New York requires 24 every three years.
CE courses help vet techs stay current in all of the latest advancements associated with the field of veterinary medicine. Your continuing education courses may include a combination of classroom lectures, workshops and seminars, which are all designed to educate you on the best procedures and treatments possible for animals.
Finding CE Courses
There are many facilities that offer continuing education courses for veterinary technicians including local community colleges, universities and technical/vocational schools. Additionally, there are several schools that offer online classes for vet techs looking to fulfill CE requirements.
However, if you choose to enroll in online courses, you need to be aware that some states only allow a portion of your CE requirements to be obtained through online programs.
Nevertheless, The American Veterinary Medical Association can also help you locate continuing education opportunities in your immediate area.
Typical CE Courses
The goals of continuing education courses are to provide you with information regarding new procedures, technology or equipment.
However, in some cases, CE courses are simply useful to help you strengthen your existing skills. Although the courses you will need to take may vary from state to state and year to year, some typical CE courses often focus on the following topics.
- Dentistry
- Laboratory Work
- Anesthesia
- Radiography
- Nutrition
- Surgical Methodologies
- Record-Keeping
For you to be a successful veterinary technician, you are going to have to stay current with the latest developments in the field.
This is why continuing education courses are essential for vet techs. There are many places where you can obtain these courses including local community colleges, vocational/technical schools, universities and online.