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How do I become a Vet Tech? Also, where are some good places that i can do some job shadowing? Do I have to do Pre-vet?

I currently am a junior in high school.

college animals animal-care vet-tech
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Sean’s Answer

I am not a vet tech but my sister was a vet tech for 10 or 15 years. She went into the field because of her deep compassion for animals, so feels like the first qualification is being deeply compassionate and caring about animals. She told me about the great rewards of being able to care for animals and to see them recover, but she also told me of the difficult things that come with the job, loud and sometimes chaotic environment, less than cooperative and sometimes physically defiant patients, not to mention a lot of very (and quite literally) messy situations, and worst of all - outcomes that didn't result in recovery for deeply loved family pets. So the second qualification seems like being able to handle emotionally and physically challenging situations. The job also required very strong attention to detail, since it involved medical treatments there was no margin for error. According to my sister, the hours were long, the work was hard, and the pay was low, but in the end she did it for so many years simply because she loved caring for the animals. She eventually left the field because she had to find sources of higher income to continue to afford where she was living. But to this day, she is our go-to resource for questions about my own family pets. As for preparing for the career, based on her experience she needed to know a lot about animal physiology and anatomy. She also needed to know basic biology, chemistry, some pharmacology and she needed to maintain education and certifications. As a starting point, you might consider starting with volunteering at a local animal shelter. From there you could look for part time jobs as a receptionist at vet's office or animal hospital. While there it would be best to be helpful, inquisitive, and eager to learn more and grow in the profession. Hope this helps and best of luck in your career.
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Katlynne’s Answer

Hi Megan!
Vet technician work is, as mentioned above, extremely rewarding as it can be challenging. Volunteering with your local animal shelter is a wonderful way to get introduced into the animal care field. In fact, shelter medicine using vet techs as the primary is becoming growing specialty field in many states!
Depending on the state you're in, you either have to attend schooling or complete an apprenticeship to become a vet technician. It differs by state. The best way to find out which state you're in is to swing in to a shelter or vet clinic and talk with a current vet tech. Make sure you prep your questions before hand so you get as many answers to your questions as you can.
Another option that many don't think about is becoming an animal care specialist in the military. Which is just a fancy way to say a vet tech. Im currently in the Army Reserves as a vet tech and, although the training was challenging as times, it is a fantastic way to be paid to gain your licensing and some awesome experience.
There are many avenues you can take. The first step is to find out what the process within your state is. Then you can decide how you'd like to tackle it from there.

Katlynne recommends the following next steps:

Find out your states requirements.
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