So, You Want To Be A Vet Tech?

You’ve probably stumbled across this post because you’re interested in, or have already made up your mind, about becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) and pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. It can be a challenging journey for some, but extremely rewarding once you’ve made it and I’m here (as a fellow Registered Vet Tech) to help you along the way!

I LOVE the education aspect of vet med, (whether I’m learning myself, helping students, helping friends, or educating clients) which is why I decided to take my RVT knowledge to an online platform; so that I can help you on your journey to becoming a vet tech as well.

There’s a lot to cover on the path to becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician, so I’ve broken the “path” down into 10 steps for you to follow on your own process to becoming a vet tech!

If you’re not 100% sure what a veterinary technician does, check out this post to become familiar with all the ways we contribute to the veterinary medicine community.

Basically, a Registered Veterinary Technician is a trained and skilled nurse for your furry companions aka your pets! Some RVTs are also educated on medical care for farm animals, pockets pets, reptiles, exotic animals, and local wildlife.

10 Steps to Become a Registered Veterinary Technician

1. Mindset and Attitude

Make sure that being a Registered Veterinary Technician is what you know you want to do. Vet techs are known to work long hours on their feet, some days with minimal to no breaks, and are more prone to burnout and compassion fatigue. This is a field of continuing education, keeping up with ongoing changes, and learning improved ways of practicing vet med. The ideal vet tech is patient, calm, level-headed, approachable, positive, ready to face challenges, always eager to learn and grow, and ready to educate others.

2. Volunteer and/or Work with Animals

Initially I wanted to be a veterinarian, but after high school co-op I realized that becoming a veterinary technician was the career path for me instead.

Before applying to any colleges that offer the veterinary technician program, try to find some time to volunteer at an animal shelter, animal hospital, or veterinary technician class to really get a grasp of what it is that Registered Veterinary Technicians may do in their day-to-day.

If you are applying out of high school, look into completing your co-op placement at an animal hospital or lab. Some hospitals hire kennel assistants, exam room assistants, and receptionists without any professional veterinary medical training, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for job listings in your area. Indeed is a great place to start.

If you’re not able to volunteer or work with animals, there are a TON of videos on social media (TikTok, YouTube, etc.) on “a day in the life of a veterinary technician”, as well as veterinary technician influencers that you can follow on Instagram/TikTok that inspire and motivate you. Feel free to reach out to them, (or me!) as we are always eager to answer any questions you might have. We are here as your virtual mentors! 😊

3. College Research

Once you have an idea of what you would like to do as veterinary technician, it’s time to research which colleges or universities offer the program you are most interested in applying to. For example, you may want to work with exotics or wildlife, but not all programs offer courses in exotics and/or wildlife. It’s best to do your research before applying to a school to make sure that you are enrolling in the program that is best suited for you.

There are 18 on-campus veterinary technician programs and 1 online program offered in Canada, all of which are accredited by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). You must graduate from an AVMA/CVMA accredited program in order to be eligible to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. You can find a list of accredited schools in Canada here: List of accredited veterinary technician programs in Canada.

4. Have the Proper High School Credits and Pre-requisites

Most vet tech programs, in Canada, will require high school credits from either grade 11 and/or grade 12 English, Math, Biology and/or Chemistry. Depending on what program you decide to apply to, the credits and minimum accepting grades will vary. It’s always best to know what program admission requirements and pre-requisites are needed before applying to any of the veterinary technician programs.

5. Apply to Vet Tech Programs

Once you know which vet tech programs interest you, it’s time to apply to school to become a Registered Veterinary Technician! It’s a good idea to apply to more than 1 program; but that’s easier said than done, depending on what part of the country you live in. Most students end up having to relocate for school in Canada, so make sure that’s another major step that you are prepared to take on your journey towards becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician.

Fun Fact: A lot of vet tech students in Canada end up in Ontario, since Ontario has the most schools (7!) that offer an accredited veterinary technician program.

6. Prepare for College

Attend orientation if you can. Familiarize yourself with your schedule and become familiar with the campus and transportation to and from classes. Some vet tech programs have odd hours for school, which can be as early as 6am and as late as 10pm, so be ready for this! (I remember, we once had to be on-site for 5am when we spent our day at the farm. That day confirmed I would not be working with farm animals. The outdoors and 5am is just not it for me!!)

Keep organized with a list of school supplies and textbooks required. Your program will provide a list of text books and will most likely have a “Vet Tech Kit” for purchase from the on-store campus, which will include a few essentials you’ll use throughout the program. Proof of a Rabies Vaccine is required prior to starting school in Ontario, but I am not sure if this is mandatory in other provinces.

Textbooks can be quite pricey and add up, so I recommend checking out Facebook Marketplace, Facebook groups, and Amazon before purchasing textbooks on-campus. I was lucky enough to find a bunch of brand-new textbooks on Amazon for significantly cheaper than the on-campus book store.

7. Complete your Co-op/Internship and Graduate from College

This can be a good opportunity to try and nail your dream job. A lot of co-op placements will hire students after their term is up. That’s how I got my foot in the door as a new vet tech, so I recommend to look into a few animal hospitals before applying for a placement to make sure it will be a good fit.

Your co-op placement is usually the final step before graduating from the vet tech program. I went to school at Algonquin College in Ontario and our final exams were held in April, with co-op starting in May for 1 month, and then we all walked the stage for our graduation in July.

8. Pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE)

The Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) is administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), and must be completed with a passing score of 425/800 in order for you to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. The VTNE consists of 200 multiple choice questions, that cover a range of all subjects covered throughout your studies.

I recommend taking the test as soon as you can, once you graduate. The sooner you can become a Registered Veterinary Technician, the better. (Trust me, you’ll want to do this ASAP. I waited 3 years to take the VTNE and spent a lot of my time cramming last minute to refresh my memory on everything I had learned in school. 0/10, would not recommend.)

It’s important to note that if you’re in Saskatchewan, you legally cannot work under the title of “Veterinary Technician” unless you are registered with their province board.

9. Pass All Other Requirements that Enable You to Become a Registered Veterinary Technician

Other than graduating from an accredited program and passing the VTNE, there may be other steps that you need to complete before you can become a Registered Veterinary Technician.

Check what requirements are needed with the province that you plan to become a Registered Vet Tech in. For instance, I’m registered in Ontario, and the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (OAVT) requires us to graduate from an accredited college, have a criminal record check, complete the Professionalism & Ethics (P&E) Workshop, and successfully pass the VTNE.

As far as I know, Ontario is the only province that requires a criminal record check and completion of the P&E Workshop.

10. Pay your Dues

The final step to become a Registered Veterinary Technician is to pay your annual membership fee. The fee varies by province, so check with the province that you intend to be registered in so that you can be prepared to pay your dues when it’s time.

Let’s Recap!

So, to wrap it up, you must:

• Graduate from an accredited program
• Successfully pass the VTNE
• Meet all other province requirements
• Pay your membership fees
• Maintain your registration by completing continuing education (CE) credits on time
• Pay your annual membership dues on-time
• Remain in good standing as a Registered Vet Tech

BONUS CHECKLIST!

Enjoy our FREE simplified checklist version of this blog post! You can print it out or save it to keep on hand as a digital file. I’d LOVE for you to use this checklist to help you on your journey to becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician. Click the link below to get it!

Become a Registered Veterinary Technician Checklist

YOU GOT THIS!

If it’s always been your dream to work with animals in the medical field, DO NOT GIVE UP. The journey may be challenging for some; So, take a step back if you need to and ask about part-time studies or additional help/time if needed. Join vet tech student groups (or create one of your own) on Facebook, Reddit, or another social media platform for support. I took a semester of part-time studies and found that worked out better for me, personally, rather than cramming everything I needed to learn into a 2-year program. So, find what works best for you when taking the steps towards becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician, and don’t be ashamed if you feel you need to go at your own pace.

To learn more about what a Registered Veterinary Technician does, check out this post: What Is a Veterinary Technician and What Do They Do?

Congratulations!

Yay! You can now officially call yourself a Registered Veterinary Technician! Always reward yourself for all the hard work and effort you’ve put into becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician. Take it one step a time, one bite at a time. Working in the veterinary medicine field can be a very rewarding career and I look forward to hearing all your success stories.

Leave a comment below and let me know why you decided to pursue a career in vet med! Thanks for reading!

Further studies

Interested in growing and leveling up in your career as a vet tech? There are a TON of ways that you can specialize in certain areas of vet med. You can become certified in dentistry, anesthesia, or surgery to name a few. Check out The Registered Veterinary Technologists and Technicians of Canada (RVTTC) to see if there are any areas in vet med that you’re interested in specializing in and what steps you’ll need to take.

Sasha, RVT, Elite Level 2 FFC 

Frequently Asked Questions:

What does RVT stand for?

Registered Veterinary Technician/Technologist. Depending on where you’re located in Canada, you will either go by Registered Veterinary Technologist or Registered Veterinary Technician. Western Canada uses the term Technologist, Eastern Canada uses the term Technician.

You may also commonly see:

• LVT, (Licensed)
• CVT (Certified)
• CAHT (Certified Animal Health Technician)
• LAHT (Licensed Animal Health Technician)
• RAHT (Registered Animal Health Technician)
• RVN (Registered Veterinary Nurse)
• LVN (Licensed Veterinary Nurse)
• CVN (Certified Veterinary Nurse)

Where can an RVT work?

As a Registered Veterinary Technician, you can find jobs in animal hospitals, research facilities, farms, zoos, telemedicine, remote work online,  pet insurance, self-employment, emergency hospitals, mobile clinics, animal shelters, magazines, education, vet med/pet educational websites, referral medicine (ophthalmology, internal medicine, oncology, cardiology, dentistry, ultrasound etc.), or assist a specialty travelling vet, just to name a few. 😉

Most RVTs work under veterinary supervision and/or direction, but you can also go the entrepreneur/solopreneur route and start your own business, become a mentor/coach to fellow vet techs and students, take additional courses to become certified in certain areas of vet med, offer online or in-person tutoring, become a vet tech influencer/content creator, use your skills to become a veterinary industry freelance writer, and so much more!

How long does it take to become a Registered Veterinary Technician?

Most programs in Canada are 2-4 years, depending on if you want to study beyond cats, dogs, and other common household pets and farm animals.

How much does a Registered Veterinary Technician make in Canada?

To be honest, not much. Some animal hospitals/clinics still pay some of their staff minimum wage. The average hourly wage in Ontario (according to the OAVT’s 2024 Wage and Compensation Survey Results) is $29.80, with a median wage of $28.11. These results, and previous years, are available for the public to view as well here: OAVT Wage Survey

A more accurate representation (in my opinion) on what vet tech’s make in Canada can be found on the Government of Canada’s Job Bank site showing an average low hourly wage of $16.55,  median hourly wage of $22.00, and a high of $33.04: Veterinary Technician Wages in Canada

Their information is from Statistic’s Canada Labour Force Survey, Employment and Social Development Canada, The Census, Provincial/territorial surveys, and other sources when applicable.

I, personally, have never been paid anywhere close to $26.00, when working in veterinary hospital settings. My hourly range, throughout the years, has always been a lot more accurate with what the Government of Canada has to represent.

Veterinary Technicians can make the most by working in specialty practices, urgent care, emergency/overnight hospitals, research/lab facilities, or by self-employment/locum work. Some choose to “become the CEO of their license” and create the career they want by offering locum services, in-house tech services, pet transportation, pet sitting, educating pet parents online, or freelance writing for online veterinary and pet industry publications to name a few.

Is a Registered Veterinary Technician the same as a Veterinary Assistant?

No. A veterinary technician is known as a nurse in veterinary medicine and is licensed by the province/state that they are registered to practice in. A veterinary assistant is known to assist both the veterinarian and/or veterinary technician when required. Both veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants work under the direction of veterinarians, and both are able to perform certain treatments on their own without veterinary supervision. Veterinary assistants are educated through a certificate program completed in-person or online, and are hired to assist veterinarians and Registered Veterinary Technicians in a variety of task. Veterinary assistants that have completed a college/online certificate program are known as Certified Veterinary Assistants. Some veterinary assistants are hired and trained on the job without prior education in the veterinary field, but cannot refer to themselves as Certified.

For a better understanding of what the roles are of between a vet tech and a vet assistant, check out this post: The Difference Between a Veterinary Technician and Veterinary Assistant.

Do you have to be registered to work as a veterinary technician in Canada?

No. All provinces require that you graduate from an accredited Veterinary Technician program. Some animal hospitals/clinics will hire Veterinary Technicians that are not registered. (Vet Techs that have not completed the VTNE). Registration is required and mandatory in some provinces in order to work under the title of a Registered Veterinary Technician.

Do Registered Veterinary Technician’s perform Euthanasia’s?

Yes, veterinary technician’s may perform end-of-life procedures under certain circumstances. “Where veterinary participation is not possible, personnel must be trained to recognize and respond to pain and distress, appropriately euthanize, and confirm death in each species and class of animal under their care.” – CVMA Position Statement on Euthanasia

 Helpful Resources:

• The Registered Veterinary Technologists and Technicians of Canada (RVTTC)
• American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB)
• Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)
• RVT Career Navigator
• VetTechPrep – Help prepare for the VTNE