Western Washington Area Health Education Center
2033 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 310
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206.441.7137
Fax: 206.441.7158
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WWAHEC
2033 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 310
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206.441.7137
Fax: 206.441.7158
Health
Professionals/
Student Placement
Health Career
Information
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
HOPE
Preceptor & Site Resources
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Volunteer/Retired
Providers Program
K-12 Learning Resources
aka Science
Allied Health
Health Career
Information
HOPE
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Statewide Office
of Rural Health
Community Health
Assessment, Planning
& Development
Primary Care
Provider Recruitment
Shop
WWAHEC
2033 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 310
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206.441.7137
Fax: 206.441.7158
Health
Professionals/
Student Placement
Health Career
Information
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
HOPE
Preceptor & Site Resources
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Volunteer/Retired
Providers Program
K-12 Learning Resources
aka Science
Allied Health
Health Career
Information
HOPE
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Statewide Office
of Rural Health
Community Health
Assessment, Planning
& Development
Primary Care
Provider Recruitment
Shop
Health Career Information
Veterinary Medicine
Job description
Veterinarians, assisted by veterinary technicians, treat and prevent the illnesses of pets, livestock, marine animals, and sporting animals. Their job is to prevent diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans (zoonoses) and to protect the public from residues of herbicides, pesticides, and antibiotics used in food production. They may be involved in wildlife preservation and conservation. Also, Veterinarians play an important role in agriculture. They use their knowledge to increase food production through genetics, animal feed production, and preventive medicine.
Activities may include
●
diagnose diseases in animals and prescribe treatment
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administer tests
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perform surgery
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advise owners on proper health care
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some test and market medicines and vaccines
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assure the welfare of animals
Veterinary Technicians help veterinarians in the handling and healthcare of animals, including surgical assistance and both pre- and post-operative care.
Activities may include
●
prepare animals for and assist with surgery
●
perform laboratory tests
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client consultation
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provide emergency first aid
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administer medication
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examine and clean teeth
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perform office and hospital management tasks
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may feed and water animals, clean areas, and maintain records
Salaries and benefits*
Veterinarians: Entry wages for interns are approximately $20,000 per year. Income in private practice is generally higher than income in industry, and varies depending on factors such as location, type of practice and years of experience. In the early years, earnings are usually $20,000 to $35,000 per year. Veterinarians with five years of experience may earn $30,000 to $65,000 per year or more. An Animal Health Veterinarian with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree and three years of experience in large animal practice earns $3,322 to $4,250 per month working for the State of Washington. The average wage for Veterinarians and Veterinary Inspectors in Washington is $3,200 to $6,140 per month. Nationally, the average wage for Veterinarians is about $4,616 per month.
Veterinary Technicians: Beginning wages vary depending on geographical location and employer. The average is $1,213 to $1,560 per month. Workers with five years of experience generally earn $1,906 to $2,600 per month. Veterinary Technicians working for the State of Washington with one year of work experience earn $1,966 to $2,477 per month. Statewide, Veterinary Technicians and Technologists average $1,598 to $2,161 per month.
Training and requirements
Veterinarians must successfully complete 2 to 4 years of pre-veterinarian medicine college course work and a four year professional veterinary medicine degree program, in-cluding a 200 to 300 hour clinical internship. To practice in the state of Washington, a veterinarian must successfully complete both national and state examinations. Washington State University offers the only veterinarian training in Washington State.
Veterinarian Technician is a two-year AAS program offered in Washington at Bellingham Technical College, Pierce College, the PIMA Medical Institute and Yakima Valley Community College. At the completion, students must pass a State Board Examination to be licensed to work in the state of Washington
Necessary skills
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ability to make good decisions
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work well in an emotional environment
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ability to use hands and fingers skillfully and to see slight differences
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ability to stand, walk, and lift
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ability to learn new procedures and methods quickly
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good business management skills
Licensure/Certification
Veterinarians and Veterinarian Technicians must be licensed to practice in Washington.
Helpful high school courses
Include English, speech, math, algebra, geometry, chemistry, biology, and other biological science courses. Part-time work or a volunteer job in a related environment is very helpful.
Colleges/Vocational Schools in Washington State
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Bellingham Technical College
3028 Lindbergh Ave.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1599
(360) 738-0221
●
Pierce College
9401 Farwest Dr. SW
Lakewood, WA 98498-1999
(253) 964-6500
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PIMA Medical Institute
(800) 477-PIMA
Seattle Campus
1627 Eastlake Ave. East
Seattle, WA 98102
●
Washington State
University (DVM program)
College of Veterinary Medicine
PO Box 647010
Pullman, WA 99164-7010 USA
(509) 335-9515
●
Yakima Valley Community College
16th Ave. & Nob Hill Blvd.
Yakima, WA 98907-2520
(509) 574-4600
Outlook*
In Washington, this occupation is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations. Employment is projected to increase nine percent by 2008. The outlook for specialists, such as Toxicologists, Laboratory Animal Medicine Veterinarians and Pathologists, will be extremely good. Competition will be strong for new graduates trying to establish their own practices, especially in the small animal field.
Professional Associations
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American Veterinary Medical Association
1931 N. Meacham Rd., Suite 100
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360
(847) 925-8070
http://www.avma.org
●
Washington State Veterinary Medical Association
P.O. Box 962
2050 - 112th NE, Suite 115
Bellevue, WA 98009-0962
(425) 454-8381
(800) 399-7862
http://www.wsvma.org/
* Note: General career descriptions are updated as necessary, however salary expectations and projected outlooks have not been updated since 2000. Go to Workforce Explorer Washington and search your career for the most up-to-date salary and job growth expectations. Washington Healthcare Careers and Workforce College are also good resources for job information.
For additional information, contact your school's career counselor or
WWAHEC
2033 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 310
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206.441.7137
Fax: 206.441.7158
Page updated 9/15/04