Get to Know Your Vet Care Team: Different Jobs at Your Veterinary Office

When you call your vet’s office to schedule an appointment or arrive for your pet’s exam, many team members in different roles are essential to a successful visit. There are so many jobs at a veterinary office and people who fill them to provide the best care for your pet.

Once you’ve chosen a veterinarian, you’re not only going to see that person but rather an entire team. In this article, we’ll consider some of the veterinary professionals you’re most likely to encounter in a vet’s office and discuss the differences–for instance, what is the difference between a vet tech and a vet–as well as consider the important role each position fills.

9 Veterinary Positions to Know

Beyond the familiar face of the veterinarian, a dedicated team works tirelessly behind the scenes to care for the health of our pets. This often leads to questions about who is responsible for each element of your pet’s care, especially regarding the difference between a vet tech and a vet. Understanding these distinct roles, from the front desk to the Medical Director, will help you better appreciate the teamwork that makes a veterinary practice thrive.

Veterinarian: These are the doctors at the practice who see their animal patients for diagnoses and treatment. Veterinarians perform routine preventative care, perform surgery, counsel pet owners, and more.

Veterinary Technician: Usually called a “vet tech,” these skilled professionals work directly with patients. They also conduct intakes and assessments and assist veterinarians with procedures. They administer medications and vaccines and are capable of helping out in nearly all areas of the clinic. On occasion, you may only see a vet tech for your appointment rather than the veterinarian. These appointments are usually quicker and more readily available for dressing changes, vaccine updates, and weight checks.

Veterinary Assistant: These folks help out with animal care tasks, admin work, cleaning, and communicating with pet owners. They may fill the role of Animal Care Technician to ensure the well-being and maintenance of the animals under the clinic’s care.

Client Service Representative (CSR): This may be the same role as the receptionist, or it may be a parallel position working closely with the receptionist. The receptionist usually answers the phones, manages the clinic’s schedule, and greets you upon arrival. A client service representative works directly with clients to answer questions, handle inquiries, and troubleshoot when needed. Either the receptionist or the CSR handles checking patients in and out of the clinic for appointments.

Office or Practice Manager: This is the operations role at a veterinary office. This person handles staff, finances, administration, and logistics. While it may not be their main responsibility, you may see them helping with your pet’s care or answering your questions when needed.

Medical Director: This role, held by a veterinarian, leads the clinic’s medical operations. They ensure the clinic adheres to best practices and stays up-to-date on current medical standards.

Lab Technician: While many veterinary practices send out lab work, sometimes these services are performed in-house by a lab tech who performs lab tests and analyses. Veterinary technicians and/or Vet Assistants often fill the role of Lab Technician.

Other specialty roles might include an ultrasound technician, a radiologist, and–especially at specialty centers–a physical therapist, surgeon, orthopedist, and so on.

How Veterinary Teams Work Together

All the jobs at a veterinary office need to work together in collaboration to keep the day flowing smoothly. You might not realize when you take your pet in for an appointment just how many people it requires to take good care of your animal.

First, you call to schedule the appointment, and you speak with either the receptionist or the client service representative.

When you arrive, you’ll be checked in, then a vet tech or a vet assistant will get your pet’s weight. A vet tech will conduct your pet’s intake, asking all the pertinent questions that the vet needs to start the appointment. The veterinarian then conducts an exam, usually with the help of a vet tech or vet assistant. If the vet wants to collect any samples, like blood or urine, the lab tech will sometimes assist with the collection and then conduct the analyses. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, a vet assistant has ensured that all the places your pet will go in the hospital have been cleaned. Once the appointment is over, the vet tech will help get any prescriptions you might need, and the CSR will process your payment. Then, you’ll be on your way.

For emergency or non-routine visits, this team will pull together to perform any X-rays or additional testing, emergency care, triaging, and so much more. It takes all members of the team to handle everything from general wellness visits, injury, disease, and the different life stages of the pets who walk into the clinic.

How AAHA Standards Support Veterinary Teams

Veterinary teams are supported by AAHA standards–a set of stringent protocols that encompass all the components of a veterinary clinic.

“AAHA standards provide a foundation for practice and clinical procedures that results from the foremost expertise in veterinary medicine,” explained Bryan T. Clarke, DVM, DABVP (Canine and Feline) at All Creatures Animal Hospital, an AAHA-accredited hospital in Lutz, Florida. “Following AAHA standards is, in effect, like having an expert consultation available for every decision practice team members have to make.”

Pet parents benefit from the standards’ positive impacts on the care provided by each team member, along with the facility itself. These standards provide guidance for all the jobs at a veterinary office.

It takes many hands to care for your pet in a veterinary clinic or hospital. AAHA standards ensure accredited practice teams are empowered to provide comprehensive care. The multitude of jobs in the veterinary field ensure your pet receives the best care at every point of contact and that appointments flow conveniently.

Whether your pet is visiting an AAHA-accredited vet clinic for a routine physical exam or for an emergency, these nine professionals will care for your pet every step of the way.