Veterinary health care team

Every veterinary hospital is staffed by a team of caring professionals, each contributing unique experience, knowledge, and skills to ensure high-quality veterinary care for animals and compassionate support for their owners. Dedication to service is a top priority.

Every team member has an important role to play in safeguarding the health and wellbeing of each animal patient, working together and in partnership with owners.

The veterinarian—leading the team

Veterinarians are doctors trained to protect and promote the health of both animals and people. In clinical practice, veterinarians work with various animal species and their owners to evaluate each animal’s health; provide preventive care such as vaccines and parasite control; diagnose and treat illnesses; prescribe medication; perform surgery; give recommendations and advice; and more.
Veterinarians may work primarily with companion animals, or they may work with horses, food animals, exotic animals (including zoo or aquarium animals), laboratory animals, wildlife, or other species—even bees. Some pursue additional education and training to become board-certified in a specialty such as surgery, internal medicine, shelter medicine, behavior, dentistry, or ophthalmology.

In addition to work in clinical practice, veterinarians may focus on public health, regulatory medicine, or military service; enter academia or research; or pursue other career paths. The possibilities are plentiful! Personal attributes that contribute to a successful career as a veterinarian include a strong foundation in the sciences, a passion for working with both animals and their owners, excellent communication skills, keen observational and decision-making skills, basic business and management training, leadership and organizational skills, and an interest in lifelong learning.

Interested in becoming a veterinarian? Learn more

The veterinary technician

Veterinary technicians perform valuable medical and nonmedical services in clinical practice. They are graduates of a veterinary technology program that’s been accredited by the AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities® (CVTEA), and they usually have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Each is educated and trained to support the veterinarian by assisting with surgery, laboratory procedures, diagnostic imaging, anesthesia, treatment and nursing, client education, and other activities. Almost every state requires a veterinary technician to pass a credentialing exam to ensure a high level of competency. Click here to find an AVMA CVTEA®-accredited program near you.

Some veterinary technicians pursue additional training and certification in a specialty field, such as emergency and critical care, anesthesiology, internal medicine, animal behavior, and dentistry. Personal attributes that contribute to a successful career as a veterinary technician in clinical practice include a strong science background, a passion for working with people and animals, and good communication and decision-making skills.

Interested in becoming a veterinary technician? Learn more

The veterinary assistant

Veterinary assistants support the veterinarian and/or the veterinary technician in daily tasks. They may be graduates of a veterinary assistant training program, such as one approved by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), or they may be trained on the job. Their work may include helping to restrain and handle animals; assisting with diagnostic tests; feeding and exercising animals; cleaning and disinfecting cages, kennels, and exam rooms; performing clerical duties; and other activities to help keep the hospital running smoothly. There is no required credentialing exam for veterinary assistants. The ability to listen, communicate effectively, and handle multiple assignments are skills that make a veterinary assistant an important member of the hospital team. Find out more about NAVTA-approved veterinary assistant programs.

Everyone has an important role to play in assuring the health and wellbeing of the hospital’s patients and the owners who care for them.

The veterinary hospital manager

Many veterinary hospitals find that having a hospital (or practice) manager greatly improves operational and team efficiency. This person is responsible for managing the business functions of the practice. Depending upon the size and type of hospital, the manager’s duties could include personnel hiring and staff management, overseeing client and community relations, budgeting and financial management, inventory management, accounting, marketing, strategic planning, and developing recordkeeping and other business standards for the practice. A strong business background, leadership and team-building skills, a talent for building client relations, and technological proficiency are key attributes for success as a hospital manager. The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association provides a pathway for certification as a veterinary practice manager which includes educational, experiential, and examination requirements. Learn about practice manager certification.

The client service representative

The client service representative (or receptionist) is usually the first person to welcome a client into the hospital and the last person the client sees when they leave. The interactions they have with a client can influence how that client perceives the quality of medical services offered and provided. This person must have excellent communication skills and be able to handle a variety of general questions and requests from clients and the public. In addition to setting appointments, responding to inquiries about hospital services, greeting clients, and managing callbacks, a client service representative also may perform accounting, marketing, or client-counseling duties. A customer service-focused attitude, the ability to manage multiple tasks, and professionalism under stress are vital attributes for this important role.

Other team members

The hospital team also may include a variety of other personnel. Everyone has an important role to play in assuring the health and wellbeing of the hospital’s patients and the owners who care for them.