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"How Do I Become a Zoo Veterinary Technician?"
There isn't a single path leading to a career in zoo medicine and each zoological institution has individual requirements.
Below we offer some suggestions: (luck and timing may also play a role...)
- Complete an AVMA accredited veterinary technology program. And no, one program isn't superior over another to gain zoo employment.
- Become a credentialed veterinary technician (CVT, LVT, RVT) - requirements vary by state.
- Extensive small and/or large animal medicine experience. Many current zoo vet techs started as small or large animal techs.
- Intern/volunteer at a zoo - requirements and availability vary by institution.
- Network with zoo vet techs. Attend the AZVT annual conference to meet zoo techs from around North America (and world). Join AZVT {membership includes reduced conference registration, quarterly newsletter, and access to the online Forum - a platform for zoo techs to post questions, ideas, and information.}