How to Become a Veterinary Technician in South Dakota

Veterinary Technician Job Description

Veterinary technicians are people who spend two to four years at an educational institution to be specifically trained to perform medical tasks with animals.

Veterinary Technicians are responsible for diagnostic imaging through x-rays and ultrasounds, assisting with surgeries and other medical procedures, collecting blood, urine or stool samples, preparing animals and equipment for surgery, processing laboratory tests, performing anesthesia and many more demanding and challenging tasks.

Once you become a veterinary technician in South Dakota you may seek employment in a variety of environments that offer animal healthcare.

Depending on your interests, qualification, and desires, you can choose from facilities such as veterinary hospitals, farms, kennels, food inspection organizations, rescue centers, sanctuaries, zoological research institutes, biomedical facilities, aquariums, laboratories, governmental regulatory groups, parks, and wildlife centers.

What you need to have in mind that that vet techs in South Dakota as well as all over the state should not expect to work traditional business hours, but to be asked to work evenings, holidays, or weekends to serve the needs of their veterinary patients.

Accredited South Dakota Veterinary Technology Programs

Any person who belongs to aspiring veterinary technicians in South Dakota can apply to enroll in an accredited veterinary technician program, as there are various training options available, but they need to bear in mind that not everyone will be accepted.

We strongly recommended that you should pursue at least a two-year associate degree in the field at vet techs training schools that boast the accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).

To be able to qualify for an AVMA-accredited program, applicants typically need to submit the following:

• Official high school transcripts with proof of specific coursework – chemistry, English, biology)
• A personal statement which should be 500-600 words long
• Proof of health insurance and immunizations
• Application fee

It is true that most vet tech programs do not require test scores, background checks, or interviews, but still, there are exceptions.

What we want to advise aspiring veterinary technicians in South Dakota is to work or volunteer in an animal healthcare setting to give them an advantage in the application process.

It is worth mentioning that, unfortunately, there are no CVTEA-accredited programs in South Dakota, so if you want to pursue an accredited vet tech education, you will have to either leave the state, being that all surrounding states now have at least one AVMA-accredited vet tech program or enroll in an accredited online program.

When accredited, distance-based vet tech programs are in question, you can make a selection among several CVTEA-accredited online programs offered by schools around the country.

Upon enrolling in any of these programs, you will notice that the curriculum is a combination of online coursework and clinical training which are to be completed at approved veterinary facilities close to your home.

Prospective vet tech can try enrolling in an online vet tech program that is available at Penn Foster College.

We can assure you that this is one of the more affordable options in the country at $79 per credit.

What you can expect at Penn Foster is rigorous online training in areas including biology; animal anatomy & physiology; information literacy; clinical parasitology; veterinary office management & skill with people; mathematical applications; pharmacology; clinical pathology; and laboratory animal medicine & nursing.

Also, you can choose to enroll in St. Petersburg College of Florida which provides an online associate of science (AS) in veterinary technology.

The curriculum has 73 credits of coursework in areas such as animal nursing; animal physiology; animal anesthesia; emergency medicine; lab procedures; pharmacology; and avian & exotic pet medicine.

What is even better, credits from the AS program may be transferred to the school’s on-campus bachelor of applied science in veterinary technology program.

Requirements to Become a Licensed Veterinary Technician in South Dakota

Once you graduate from an accredited vet tech program, you would like to become a registered South Dakota Veterinary Technician.

The Registration process requires meeting some criteria.

In order to become a registered veterinary technician (RVT) in SD, candidates must apply through the South Dakota Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, and he/she is required to submit the following:

• Completed application with a signature from vet tech program
• A recent photo
• Proof of a high school diploma or GED
• Two affidavits from qualified people testifying to the candidate’s moral character
• Transcript or copy of degree from a Board-approved veterinary technician program
• Passing Veterinary Technician National Examination scores (at least 425 points)
• Application fee ($20)

However, this is not the end of your education, being that registered vet techs in South Dakota must renew their registration every two years with a minimum of 12 hours of continuing education (CE) credits.

Job Prospects and Veterinary Technicians’ Average Annual Salary in South Dakota

According to the research and statistics, there should be plenty of opportunities in this field in the coming years and many companies are there to provide help and support to new vet techs by announcing job opportunities.

Indeed has posted job openings for vet techs at places such as Patterson Companies, the Black Hawk Animal Clinic, Globe University, and the Animal Clinic of Rapid City.

Also, the South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association (SDVMA) provided job postings for vet techs at places such as Best Care Pet Hospital, the Animal Health Center, the Animal Clinic of Pierre, Oahe Veterinary Hospital, Menning Enterprises, Dakota Hills Veterinary Clinic, and All City Pet Care East.

It is great to hear that there is no shortage of openings when a vet tech career is in question in South Dakota.

Regional Salary in South Dakota

Veterinary Technicians by State