How To Become a Veterinary Technician in Delaware

Veterinary technicians are a vital part of any veterinary healthcare team. They play such a crucial role in providing high-quality care for animals that the demand for professionals in the field is always high, and the corresponding salary is always as impressive.

For anyone looking to become a veterinary technician in Delaware, the most important part of the process is acquiring the right education level from a proper institution.

Of course, additional steps need to be followed, and some crucial information that any aspiring veterinary technician must know. You don’t have to worry, though, because you’ll find an in-depth guide explaining everything below.

Steps To Become a Veterinary Technician in Delaware

The steps to become a veterinary technician in Delaware are as follows:

Step 1: High School Diploma or GED

Processing a high-school diploma or GED equivalent gives aspiring candidates the foundational knowledge they need to thrive in a veterinary technology program. These programs also tend to ask for high-school transcripts containing subjects such as Biology, Mathematics, and English.

Furthermore, a high school diploma or GED comes in handy when it’s time for licensing and certification.

Step 2: Accredited Program

Enrolling in an accredited program is the most important step to becoming a veterinary technician. Thankfully, candidates in Delaware have a range of options to choose from in this regard.

Several criteria can help you narrow down the alternatives, and the most important of these is the accreditation status. For your education in a vet tech program to be valid, the program must be accredited by the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA), the American Veterinary Medical Association’s primary accreditation body for veterinary technician programs.

Factors such as tuition fees, facilities, and quality of instructors should also play a part.

Step 3: Internship, Externship, and Work Experience Requirement

Regardless of the institution you choose to enroll in, completing an internship or externship is usually important to gain the experience and hands-on training you’ll need to succeed as a professional veterinary technician.

These programs also allow you to get acclimatized to working in a real-world clinic with other professionals in related fields.

Step 4: Veterinary Technician National Examination

Passing the veterinary technician national examination is a step that all aspiring vet techs must pass regardless of state and specific program. Passing the VTNE is also a common requirement for state certification.

Most programs have structured courses designed to prepare their students for the VTNE. This exam is organized by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), and registrations are opened three times a year.

Related: Are you considering a career as a veterinary technician in Delaware? Before you dive in, get a comprehensive understanding of the role of a veterinary assistant and how it differs from a veterinary technician. Also, check out our detailed career overview on a veterinary assistant to discover this field’s essential responsibilities and opportunities. Understanding the distinctions will help you decide which path to pursue in the thriving world of veterinary medicine.

Delaware State Licensure and Certification Requirements

The Delaware Board of Veterinary Medicine is responsible for licensing veterinary technicians in the state. To become licensed, candidates must submit the following:

• A notarized application,
• Official transcripts of their Accredited training program,
• Official scores from their VTNE, and
• An application fee of $112.

As expected, the state license requires continued renewal after every two years. Renewal requires proof of 12 hours of continuing education.

Top Veterinary Technician Schools in Delaware

1. Delaware Technical Community College

Delaware Technical Community College remains the only school in the area offering a CVTEA-accredited vet tech program. Here on the Georgetown school campus, students earn an associate degree by completing 73 credits.

Classes include animal breeds and behavior, health and disease, clinical pathology, nursing, and pharmacology.

The program is notable for producing graduates with high scores and passing rates in the veterinary technician national examinations.

2. Purdue University

Since Delaware Technical Community College is the only school in the area offering a CVTEA-accredited vet tech program, it is advisable for students who seek another option to consider an online program.

Among the top CVTEA-accredited online programs, Purdue University remains one of the most prominent. The program includes 35 courses and 17 clinical mentorships.

3. Colby Community College

Colby Community College is another online option for individuals in Delaware looking for a worthwhile veterinary technology program. Coursework includes topics in basic nutrition of animals, physiology for vet techs, hematology, immunology, cytology, parasitology, and small animal clinical procedures.

The school has a high VTNE success rate for its on-campus and online students.

Delaware Veterinary Technician Salary and Job Outlook

As a veterinary technician in Delaware, you can expect to earn an annual average salary of $34,570. This is slightly lower than the national average salary of $37,860.

Vet techs in Delaware who fall into the top ten percent of earners earn an annual average salary of $47,160, while those who fall into the bottom ten percent of earners take home an annual average of $26,490.

As for the job outlook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 16% increase in demand for veterinary technicians between 2019 to 2029.