What is the difference between a vet tech and a vet assistant?

A veterinary technician is generally defined as a person who has graduated from an AVMA-accredited education program OR one who has met the requirements of the state laws where they work to be called a technician. Credentialing laws vary greatly by state based on the practice act and laws of the state. The requirements to be recognized as a technician can range anywhere from graduation from an AVMA accredited program and passing the veterinary technician national exam (VTNE) - to years of experience and passing the VTNE. An assistant is a person who may have been trained on the job or who has taken a formal assistant training program either in high school or after high school.

The wide variation in the backgrounds of persons working in veterinary medicine is the reason we created our resource center for both veterinary technicians and assistants. We recognize that there are many people working, who are not recognized by law as technicians, but who want information to advance their knowledge base!