Interested in becoming a veterinary assistant in Connecticut? Explore our top schools and certification steps.
Individuals looking to become veterinary professionals often need more time and training to get started as veterinarians or veterinary technicians. Thankfully, a career as a veterinary assistant offers a straightforward alternative.
In Connecticut, individuals may begin their careers as veterinary assistants with only a few months of training. They may then utilize their time here to become familiar with the industry and decide whether or not they would like to further their careers and become veterinary technicians or full-blown veterinarians.
Below, we explore all the key considerations aspiring veterinary assistants in Connecticut must know to start their careers properly.
Steps to Become a Veterinary Assistant in Connecticut
Below are the considerations necessary to start a career as a veterinary assistant in Connecticut.
Early Preparations
Even before enrolling in a veterinary assistant training program, candidates in Connecticut may prepare for the process by ensuring they have either a high school diploma or a GED. Either of these credentials is often required to secure admission into a top-class training program.
Some high schools in the state may also offer preparatory classes for those interested in pursuing a veterinary career. This may make the training process more familiar and more convenient.
Finding a Training Program
The first step of becoming a veterinary assistant in Connecticut is finding a top-class training program. Thankfully, the state is full of wonderful options to consider, and we highlight a few of these in an upcoming section.
The state’s best veterinary assistant training programs follow a standardized curriculum through which students acquire all the skills needed to secure employment and perform their duties at the highest level.
While technical institutes and community colleges around the state offer this kind of training, candidates may also acquire on-the-job training from employers that offer such opportunities.
Become Certified
The state of Connecticut does not expect veterinary assistants to receive certification from a professional organization before they can secure employment. However, doing so can offer several benefits, including a higher ease of enjoyment and better salary negotiations.
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Licensure & Certification Requirements
Veterinary assistants in Connecticut are not expected to receive a license from the state to secure employment. As mentioned earlier, they are not expected to become certified, either.
However, the Approved Veterinary Assistant credential offered by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) remains a popular option for professionals in the state.
To become an approved veterinary assistant, candidates must follow one of three routes: externship route, experiential route, or veterinary assistant program route.
The externship route is for those who have yet to start working and are looking to acquire hands-on training on the job. The experiential route is perfect for those who have already secured employment and are working at least 20 hours a week as veterinary assistants in a veterinary establishment in Connecticut.
Top Veterinary Assistant Schools in Connecticut
The following are some of Connecticut’s most notable training programs for aspiring veterinary assistants.
Manchester Community College
Manchester Community College in Manchester, CT, offers a strong and highly respected training program for aspiring veterinary assistants in Connecticut. To be admitted here, candidates must be at least 16 years old and be fully vaccinated.
Middlesex Community College
Middlesex Community College in Middletown offers another wonderful training program for aspiring veterinary assistants in the state. It offers a strong, hands-on learning environment with several qualified instructors.
Topics of focus include restraint and handling, dental exams, hematology, and parasitology.
Northwest Connecticut Community College
Candidates may also receive veterinary assistant training from Northwest Connecticut Community College in Winsted. The focus topics include nail trimming, animal nutrition, anatomy and physiology, and surgical assisting.
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Salary & Career Outlook
An average veterinary assistant in Connecticut earns around $41,999 in annual salary. By “average,” we mean those who fall among the midpoint of salary earners in the state.
This is because it can fall above or higher than this point. Notably, those among the top 10% earn an annual average salary of $52,038, while those among the bottom 10% earn an annual average salary of $33,897.
Factors that play a role in influencing where professionals end up on the salary scale include experience and location, among others.
Sorting strictly by location, we find that Stamford is the highest-paying city to practice as a veterinary assistant in Connecticut, with an annual average salary of $45,948. Those in Middletown and Madison are also well-rewarded, with annual average salaries of $43,726 and $41,787.
The top five highest-paying cities for veterinary assistants in the state are Stratford, with an annual average salary of $41,734, and Darien, with an annual average salary of $40,602.
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