Personal Qualities Required to Become a Veterinary Technician

Are you thinking about becoming a veterinary technician and are wondering what personal qualities you should have for the job? Becoming a successful vet tech requires more than completing a training program and obtaining a license. For you to truly excel in your career, you must possess several unique personal qualities as well.

While many of these qualities can be developed during your training program, some of them cannot. Nevertheless, they are all essential to help you work effectively with animals, their owners and your coworkers. Listed below, you will find the most important personal qualities required for the field of veterinary technology.

A Love for Animals

Veterinary technicians must love all types of animals and enjoy working with them. It is a fact that animals can sense when someone is afraid of them. As such, to gain the trust of animals you will be working with, you cannot be afraid of them. Depending on where you choose to work, this could include household pets, horses, cattle, snakes, wolves and even bears.

Excellent People Skills

Not only do vet techs need to get along well with animals, but they must be able to get along well with people too. Many pet owners today view their pets as cherished family members, and when a pet is ill or injured, its owner often displays a variety of emotions. It is quite common for pet owners to become extremely anxious and/or distraught. As such, you will need to possess such qualities as patience and empathy.

Communication Skills

Just as you need excellent people skills to work as a vet tech, you will need good communication skills as well. Good communication skills will help you interact with pet owners when discussing symptoms and collecting medical history for their pets. Knowing how to communicate effectively is also essential in understanding and responding to the veterinarian’s instructions.

Ability to Handle Stress

At times, the work of a veterinary technician can be quite stressful and upsetting. You will see many sick and injured animals each day, and some of them may be in serious condition. For you to be able to get through busy, stressful days, you cannot be squeamish. Additionally, while some situations may make you feel extremely saddened, you need to try to maintain an effective balance of empathy and professionalism.

An Eye for Details

Another important personal quality required to become a vet tech is an eye for details. As a veterinary technician, you will handle a lot of important information, and it is essential that you record this information properly. Veterinarians depend on the information that vet techs collect to determine treatment paths for patients. For this reason, you must ensure that your observations and reports are accurate.

A Love for Learning

Finally, vet techs should love learning. As new advances in the field of veterinary medicine arise, you will be required to attend various continuing education courses. Further, it is also essential for vet techs to learn various new procedures from their employers while they are working.

Successful veterinary technicians must have a number of personal qualities that will help them work closely with pets, pet owners and coworkers. If you are thinking about beginning a career in this lucrative field, you will want to make sure that you possess the qualities described above.