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The greater care and protection of animals turned the veterinary science and occupations into even more difficult and demanding professions than they used to be.
Veterinarians and their staff are crucial for animal health care.
If you consider yourself a person focused on animal welfare and support the way animals are being treated during the recent years, as they have become a treasured member of our families, then you can be the ideal person for a veterinary technician vocation.
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Veterinary Technician Job Description
To run smoothly, a veterinary facility needs skillful, passionate and dedicated veterinary technicians and assistants who will provide animals with perfect care, carrying out a range of tasks.
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Besides providing medication to animals, assisting veterinarians and communicating with clients, veterinary technicians do some minor interventions, laboratory work, and urinalysis.
They need to be empathic, compassionate and patient to be able to finish all the demands.
If they are more educated, more duties are given to them, but consequently, the higher are their pay rates.
Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Louisiana
There are official requirements for becoming a vet technician in the state of Louisiana and many people decide to enter and complete a certificate program to be a candidate with more qualifications when applying for a job related to taking care of animals.
The getting of a certificate prepares them to be hired anywhere in the state but that would be possible only if they attend a school with a program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities.
The importance of accreditation is because the license can be given only to those who pass the required examination, and it can be taken by people who have finished the appropriate program.
Educational Requirements for Veterinary Technicians in Louisiana
The veterinary technology programs accredited by the AVMA in Louisiana are:
- Baton Rouge Community College
- Delgado Community College
- Northshore Technical College
- Northwestern State University of Louisiana
The application process for veterinary technicians differs from school to school, meaning that all of them require that you have a high school diploma or GED, while other requirements might include minimum GPA of 2.0 in high school and preparatory courses, good results on tests such as SAT, ACT, or Compass or immunization against tetanus, rabies, and measles.
The information about all the necessary documentation can be found on each school’s website.
Also, male applicants must provide proof of registration with military selective service.
The schooling lasts 57 to 80 credit hours and general education is compulsory.
The program is based on veterinary science, with the lessons related to radiology, anesthesia, large and small animal medicine, pathology, among many others.
Education involves classroom lessons, laboratory work and internship in a clinical setting, to practice the achieved knowledge.
The tuition cannot be precisely determined but it is $120 per credit hour on average.
This price does not include additional costs, and it is only for in-state students.
All the data related to education costs are present on the school’s websites.
Louisiana has to offer Veterinary Technician Financial Aid in terms of grants, loans, scholarships, and veterans’ benefits.
A program called TOPS-Taylor Opportunity Program for Students offers state scholarships to Louisiana residents.
There are also benefits for veterinary technician students on the website of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs.
Veterinary Technician Examination and License
After you graduate you will get an Associate’s degree in Applied Science (AAS) in Veterinary Technology.
This means that you will be allowed to take the Veterinary Technician National Examination which costs $ 300 and takes three hours.
The questions on this exam are focused on the knowledge gained through education.
Once you pass it, you will be a registered veterinary technician in Louisiana.
The license is issued by the Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine and it has to be renewed every year by completing 10 hours of continuing education.
Job Prospects in Louisiana
When the job prospects for veterinary technicians in Louisiana are in question, new job openings are forecast to increase in the future.
Due to the growing number of pets, job opportunities in Louisiana are numerous.
After successfully finishing the studies you can look for a job in veterinary offices, animal clinics, and hospitals, as well as in academic institutions, laboratories, and animal rescues and shelters.
These are some of the veterinary technician employers in Louisiana offering possibilities to veterinary technicians and all the data about them can be found on the following websites:
- Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association
- Louisiana Association of Veterinary Technicians
- Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine
- National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA)
- Veterinary Career Network
- Vet Tech Life which is an online journal for veterinary technicians
- Vetcetera.
Veterinary Technicians’ Average Annual Salary in Louisiana
When applying for a job, you should know that most veterinarians want to hire a technician with a certificate achieved at an accredited community college or technical school as he/she has the proof of attained education and will better do the job.
Due to job growth, there is the chance that the average annual salary of a veterinary technician may change.
Their salary is not so high, but it is decent and it varies among the major cities.
The least paid are veterinary technicians in Alexandrian with $ 32 341per year, while their colleagues in New Orleans get $ 36 238.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Alexandria,LA | $32,341 |
| Baton Rouge,LA | $33,579 |
| Bossier City,LA | $33,560 |
| Houma,LA | $35,946 |
| Kenner,LA | $36,218 |
| La Place,LA | $35,835 |
| Lafayette,LA | $33,320 |
| Lake Charles,LA | $33,078 |
| Marrero,LA | $36,238 |
| Metairie,LA | $36,238 |
| Monroe,LA | $33,385 |
| New Iberia,LA | $33,125 |
| New Orleans,LA | $36,238 |
| Shreveport,LA | $33,560 |
Regional Salary in Louisiana
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, LA | 50 | $25,740 | $12.38 | $35,330 | $18,040 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 290 | $29,600 | $14.23 | $42,290 | $21,710 |
| Houma-Thibodaux, LA | 40 | $28,930 | $13.91 | $36,840 | $21,030 |
| Lafayette, LA | 200 | $27,920 | $13.42 | $39,380 | $19,100 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 120 | $28,050 | $13.49 | $37,020 | $19,320 |
| Monroe, LA | 70 | $26,310 | $12.65 | $34,870 | $22,160 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 610 | $30,120 | $14.48 | $42,150 | $23,250 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 170 | $27,790 | $13.36 | $37,600 | $23,120 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Veterinary Technician’s Duties
Veterinary technicians do a range of different tasks daily and how demanding their duties will depend on the practice they work in.
The facility’s reputation and the types of animals they are caring for also affect the amount of work that the veterinary technician might have during the day.
The veterinary technicians who have a certificate and have passed the training are considered to be able to manage daily duties that an animal hospital asks them to do.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Veterinary Technician
Veterinary Technicians by State