Veterinary Technologist Career Assessment

2What is a Veterinary Technologist?

A veterinary technologist (vet tech) is a trained professional who works under the supervision of a veterinarian, providing direct animal care, performing laboratory and diagnostic tests, and assisting with surgical and medical procedures.

The Reality: You're not the vet. The vet diagnoses and prescribes. You do much of the hands-on care. Your bond with animals is central to the job.

Your Responsibilities:

• Handle and restrain animals (safely, humanely)
• Take radiographs (X-rays)
• Collect blood and urine samples for testing
• Perform laboratory tests and analysis
• Assist during surgical procedures
• Administer medications (injections, oral)
• Provide post-operative care
• Monitor anesthesia during procedures
• Clean teeth and provide preventive care
• Educate pet owners about care and prevention
• Maintain medical records

You're part technician, part caregiver, part educator.

3A Day in the Life

8:00 AM — Arrive. Clean and sterilize equipment. Prep surgery suite if needed.

8:30 AM — Clinic opens. First appointment: dog with ear infection. Assist vet with exam. Take samples. Comfort anxious dog.

9:00 AM — Run lab tests on samples. Analyze results. Report to vet.

9:30 AM — Next patient: cat needing teeth cleaning under anesthesia. Prep animal. Monitor anesthesia during procedure. Post-op recovery.

10:30 AM — Surgery suite cleanup. Instrument sterilization. Detailed documentation.

11:00 AM — Phone time. Answer owner questions. Schedule follow-ups. Handle emergencies.

12:00 PM — Lunch (rotating coverage)

1:00 PM — More appointments. Routine exams, vaccinations, radiographs, treatments.

3:00 PM — Emergency case: injured dog. Triage. Assist vet with urgent care. Comfort frightened animal and worried owner.

4:30 PM — Clean equipment, close up, document cases.

5:00 PM — End shift, mentally and physically tired.

Fast-paced, emotionally engaged, physically demanding work.

4Training in North Dakota

VT (Veterinary Technician) License Required. ND requires state licensure. You cannot work as a vet tech without it.

Training Pathways:

• NDSU Veterinary Technology (Fargo, 4 years): Bachelor of Science degree. AVMA-accredited. The only accredited vet tech program in North Dakota. On campus. You take general classes first, then apply to the professional part of the program. Transfer students can apply too.
• Online + Clinical (out-of-state schools): Some AVMA-accredited programs (for example Purdue, Penn Foster, Colby Community College) teach online. You do hands-on clinical hours at a vet clinic near you.
• Start close to home: Dakota College at Bottineau offers a Veterinary Science associate (AS) transfer degree. It does not make you a vet tech by itself. Ask NDSU and Bottineau how the credits transfer.

In North Dakota: NDSU is the only in-state school that leads to a vet tech license. NDSU reports 100% job placement for its graduates. NDSU also offers a Large Animal Veterinary Technology minor (livestock and horses), which it says is the only one in the U.S.

Accreditation matters: Only graduates of AVMA-accredited programs can take the national exam (VTNE) and get licensed. Always check that a program is accredited before you enroll.

Learn more: NDSU Veterinary Technology Program — ndsu.edu/agriculture/animal-sciences/veterinary-technology-program. List of all accredited programs — avma.org (search "CVTEA accredited programs").

Prerequisites: High school diploma/GED. Basic science background helpful. Love of animals essential (but not sufficient).

Clinical Hours: Hands-on labs plus a clinical externship at a vet clinic or other animal facility. Hours vary by program. Real animals. Real responsibility.

5Certification & Licensing

VTNE (Veterinary Technician National Examination). North Dakota and most states require passing this for a license.

North Dakota Requirements:

• Complete AVMA-accredited veterinary technology program
• Pass the VTNE (national exam)
• Pass the ND jurisprudence (law) exam (open book, 80% to pass)
• Apply for an ND veterinary technician license from the ND Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners

The Exam: VTNE is comprehensive. 170 questions (150 scored). Multiple choice. 3 hours. Covers anatomy, pharmacology, surgery, laboratory, radiology, dental, anesthesia, emergency, ethics.

Cost: $375 for the VTNE. ND license: $40 application + $30 license fee.

Pass Rate: 68% of NDSU graduates passed the VTNE on their first try (2023-2025). Ask any program you are considering for its pass rate.

Continuing Education: Renew your ND license every year by December 31. You need 12 CE hours every 2 years (at least 9 must be in person or live online).

Reciprocity: Your ND license does not transfer by itself. Your VTNE score can be sent to other states, and each state has its own license rules.

6Salary & Job Outlook

North Dakota Veterinary Technician Salary (BLS, May 2025):

• Lower-paid workers (bottom 10%): about $17.29/hour ($35,960/year)
• Median (middle): $23.46/hour ($48,790/year)
• Top-paid workers (top 10%): about $27.39/hour ($56,980/year)

Specialty practices (exotic animals, surgery, emergency) pay higher.

Benefits: Health insurance, retirement, paid time off, CE reimbursement.

Job Outlook: Good. BLS projects vet tech jobs to grow 9% nationally from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average. More pet ownership and pet care spending drive demand.

Work Environment: Private practices, animal hospitals, emergency clinics, zoos, research facilities. Hours vary (nights/weekends/on-call common).

Physical Demands: Lifting (animals), standing, repetitive hand motions, exposure to animal bites/scratches.

7Where This Leads

Path 1: Specialize — Anesthesia, surgery, dentistry, exotic animals, emergency care. Specialists earn more.

Path 2: Management — Run a veterinary clinic. Oversee staff. Handle business side.

Path 3: Sales — Veterinary pharmaceutical or equipment sales. Use your clinical knowledge.

Path 4: Research — Work in pharmaceutical or medical research with animals.

Path 5: Teaching — Teach veterinary technology programs.

Path 6: Veterinary School — Use your tech experience as background for DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine).

Path 7: Public Health — Work in animal welfare, disease control, public health agencies.

8The Real Talk

What's Great:

• Work with animals daily (if you love them)
• Bond with pets and help owners
• Variety of tasks and patients
• Making a difference (animal health)
• Hands-on medical work without vet school
• Job security and demand
• Respect and appreciation from owners
• Career advancement options

What's Hard:

• Emotional labor (sick/injured animals, euthanasia)
• Difficult owners (angry, demanding, non-compliant)
• Animal bites, scratches, injuries
• Exposure to zoonotic diseases
• Standing all day, repetitive motions
• Long hours (emergency/on-call common)
• Euthanasia decisions (ethical burden)
• Burnout and compassion fatigue

Be Honest: Do you truly love animals or just like them? Can you handle euthanasia and death? Can you deal with difficult owners? Are you emotionally resilient?

9Part 1: What Attracts You?

10Part 2: Are You Ready?

11Part 3: Your Next Move

Your Veterinary Technologist Assessment Results