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Stephanie
Student
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What volunteer work or job positions do you recommend in the animal field to get experience in Manhattan or Queens?
I’m a college student majoring in biology. I’m an aspiring veterinarian and would like to be a vet assistant as a part-time job. What volunteer work or job positions do you recommend in Manhattan or Queens to get experience that I am currently lacking? I’d appreciate any advise or free certifications.
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3 answers
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
1093
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Stephanie,
Congratulations! Seems you are well on your way to become a veterinarian with a plan to make it happen. Working as a vet assistant is a great way to build experience.
For volunteer work, find animal shelters/rescues in your area. Most of them care for cats and dogs and maybe rabbits, but if you are interested in any other animals, there are rescues for those as well.
Here are a couple of examples:
https://www.nycacc.org/
https://bestfriends.org/partners/animal-rescue-queens-inc
https://nycsecondchancerescue.org/
https://parrotrescuenewyork.org/
https://www.wildbirdfund.org/
To work as a veterinarian assistant, you don't actually need any certification (although it is recommended and makes it easier to find a job). So, any combination of classes (online or in person) and practical training would be fine.
I would approach some veterinarians in your area and ask for opportunities and training. It will be a bit more challenging without much experience or certification, but it can be done. Go in person. Talk to the vet. Explain your plans and ambitions. Offer to start as an intern for training purposes with the goal to move into a paid position. Ideally, you'd find a support system and a mentor. At minimum, you would get practical experience.
If you want to get certified as a vet assistant, there are online courses as well as courses at community colleges. I haven't found a free program, but you can find free webinars. Check out resources from the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (navta) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). There are YouTube videos on vet skills as well.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://vettechnicians.org/vet-assistant/ny/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-become-vet-assistant
https://navta.net/
https://www.avma.org/
Congratulations! Seems you are well on your way to become a veterinarian with a plan to make it happen. Working as a vet assistant is a great way to build experience.
For volunteer work, find animal shelters/rescues in your area. Most of them care for cats and dogs and maybe rabbits, but if you are interested in any other animals, there are rescues for those as well.
Here are a couple of examples:
https://www.nycacc.org/
https://bestfriends.org/partners/animal-rescue-queens-inc
https://nycsecondchancerescue.org/
https://parrotrescuenewyork.org/
https://www.wildbirdfund.org/
To work as a veterinarian assistant, you don't actually need any certification (although it is recommended and makes it easier to find a job). So, any combination of classes (online or in person) and practical training would be fine.
I would approach some veterinarians in your area and ask for opportunities and training. It will be a bit more challenging without much experience or certification, but it can be done. Go in person. Talk to the vet. Explain your plans and ambitions. Offer to start as an intern for training purposes with the goal to move into a paid position. Ideally, you'd find a support system and a mentor. At minimum, you would get practical experience.
If you want to get certified as a vet assistant, there are online courses as well as courses at community colleges. I haven't found a free program, but you can find free webinars. Check out resources from the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (navta) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). There are YouTube videos on vet skills as well.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
Aulani McGee
21
Answers
Updated
Aulani’s Answer
Hello Stephanie,
Thank you for sharing your question, I am happy to help you. You’re an aspiring veterinarian seeking voluntary and/or job positions. As you are a college student already majoring in biology, this is a great opportunity for you to learn and hone your skills.
If you are seeking volunteer work, this is a great way to develop your skills and obtain valuable experience. In addition, it will introduce you to cultivate and foster genuine connections with others in your same field of interest. This is to gain the necessary resources and knowledge and expose you to diverse viewpoints and perspectives. What comes to mind regarding volunteer work in your field of interest, I would consider animal shelters that are local to you. Lots of shelters are forming adoption and fundraising events that you might find useful and helpful as an aspiring veterinarian. Shelters might be looking for volunteers willing to help in assisting such events.
If you are exploring job positions, I highly recommend that you seek veterinarian training. For instance, through Internships as this is a great way to gain work experience. Also, introducing you to great opportunities for your development as you navigate through your career. Training is a crucial step in the career path of a vet assistant as you will be caring for animals regarding their health and supporting to their medical needs. While studying biology, your training will contribute greatly in preparing you for a professional work environment. Internships are jobs that will take care of this by assisting and guiding you with more firsthand, direct experience that also may offer part-time.
I would like for you to know that your willingness to share, learn, and actively seek valuable experience to enhance your skills is a wonderful start to your development and growth in your career.
I hope you found this information helpful, I wish you success!
Thank you for sharing your question, I am happy to help you. You’re an aspiring veterinarian seeking voluntary and/or job positions. As you are a college student already majoring in biology, this is a great opportunity for you to learn and hone your skills.
If you are seeking volunteer work, this is a great way to develop your skills and obtain valuable experience. In addition, it will introduce you to cultivate and foster genuine connections with others in your same field of interest. This is to gain the necessary resources and knowledge and expose you to diverse viewpoints and perspectives. What comes to mind regarding volunteer work in your field of interest, I would consider animal shelters that are local to you. Lots of shelters are forming adoption and fundraising events that you might find useful and helpful as an aspiring veterinarian. Shelters might be looking for volunteers willing to help in assisting such events.
If you are exploring job positions, I highly recommend that you seek veterinarian training. For instance, through Internships as this is a great way to gain work experience. Also, introducing you to great opportunities for your development as you navigate through your career. Training is a crucial step in the career path of a vet assistant as you will be caring for animals regarding their health and supporting to their medical needs. While studying biology, your training will contribute greatly in preparing you for a professional work environment. Internships are jobs that will take care of this by assisting and guiding you with more firsthand, direct experience that also may offer part-time.
I would like for you to know that your willingness to share, learn, and actively seek valuable experience to enhance your skills is a wonderful start to your development and growth in your career.
I hope you found this information helpful, I wish you success!
Martha Kramer
Corporate Training, Communications
480
Answers
Stamford, Connecticut
Updated
Martha’s Answer
Welcome to CareerVillage, Stephanie - what a great first question! Karin gave you excellent advice and resources. My additional ideas:
- Use resources at your college, such as the career center, which may have relevant internship or job listings. Or may have ties to local veterinarians or veterinarians in the alumni network.
- Or some of your biology professors may have contacts. Even if they don't, it is not a bad idea to get to know them better and let them know of your career interests.
- Check out reputable job search sites, such as indeed.com, linkedin, and ziprecruiter. For example, indeed.com currently is showing a vet assistant job at Lefferts Animal Hospital in Queens. This should not be your only strategy because sometimes these jobs aren't real or have already been filled. But reading these listings acquaints you with the terms employers use (so you can use them in your resume) and gives you a sense of the job market. And you may get lucky and get a job or a contact for a future job.
Good luck!
- Use resources at your college, such as the career center, which may have relevant internship or job listings. Or may have ties to local veterinarians or veterinarians in the alumni network.
- Or some of your biology professors may have contacts. Even if they don't, it is not a bad idea to get to know them better and let them know of your career interests.
- Check out reputable job search sites, such as indeed.com, linkedin, and ziprecruiter. For example, indeed.com currently is showing a vet assistant job at Lefferts Animal Hospital in Queens. This should not be your only strategy because sometimes these jobs aren't real or have already been filled. But reading these listings acquaints you with the terms employers use (so you can use them in your resume) and gives you a sense of the job market. And you may get lucky and get a job or a contact for a future job.
Good luck!