5 Personality Traits That Make a Good Vet Tech

If you are an animal lover, there are many job opportunities to work with them. One of the more popular ways is by becoming a veterinary technician.

Vet techs have a little bit more training than a vet tech assistant but haven’t gone through as much schooling as a veterinary. Luckily, they are still incredibly hands-on with animals and assist with many treatments in the clinic.

Being successful as a vet tech requires having a particular skill set. Here are the personality traits that make a good vet tech.

Good Communication

Most jobs these days require good communication skills. However, anyone working in healthcare or emergency situations needs to be extra talented in this realm. Good communication is one of the more essential personality traits that make a good vet tech.

You need to be able to speak openly with pet owners about their animals, asking questions to gain clarity about symptoms. It’s also essential that you communicate treatment plans accurately and relay any information correctly between the vet, the other staff, and the patient.

Lifelong Learner

Medicine is one of the most evolving career paths that there are. Researchers are constantly finding new techniques or mechanisms that change the best practices in treating patients. You’ll gain hands-on experience during your own journey that’ll help guide your decisions when it is time to call the shots. Over time, you’ll also learn to develop each of these other skills even more.

Patience

Things don’t always go as planned. Animals won’t always respond as expected to treatments. Patience is a virtue, especially when working with others’ health and wellbeing. It’s crucial to remain understanding to a frustrated staff member that is having a hard day. Being able to stay cognizant when pets (or their owners) are panicking is a critical skill that you will only develop more and more with time. Patience helps you slow down the hustle and bustle from the day and tend to everyone that needs attention and care.

Able To Handle Stress

Working with sick animals and anxious pet owners won’t be easy, but it will be extremely rewarding. Because of this type of clientele, all vet techs need to be able to handle stress well. You can’t let the frustrations of one appointment seep into the next, or else you’ll be contributing to their mental uneasiness as well.

Luckily, there are some techniques that you can learn to reduce animal stress. These skills will make a massive difference in how well you treat patients and your own mental well-being.

Compassion

Vet techs generally see pet owners and their animals in the worst circumstances. There will be times that you get the annual checkups or a puppy coming in for a wellness check, but those aren’t the primary reason people come in. Unfortunately, you’ll see more undiagnosed illnesses, cats that can’t stop vomiting, or dogs with an eye infection. Compassion goes a long way in the type of care that your clients receive.

Being a vet tech is an admirable and essential job for everyone with an animal. With the right personality traits and skills, you’ll set yourself up for a successful career.

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