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The differences between veterinary technician assistants and clinical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a veterinary technician assistant and a clinical technician. Additionally, a veterinary technician assistant has an average salary of $39,025, which is higher than the $35,760 average annual salary of a clinical technician.
The top three skills for a veterinary technician assistant include patients, PET and patient care. The most important skills for a clinical technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.
| Veterinary Technician Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,025 | $35,760 |
| Hourly rate | $18.76 | $17.19 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 35,338 | 161,812 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 32 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A veterinary technician assistant is primarily in charge of performing support tasks in a veterinary hospital or clinic. Their responsibilities include administering medication to animals in adherence to the veterinarian's directives and performing basic care tasks such as feeding, bathing, and walking animals. They may also clean cages, sterilize equipment, prepare and process documents, and answer calls and inquiries. Furthermore, as a veterinary technician assistant, it is essential to monitor the behavior of animals, reporting to the veterinarian or technician should there be any problems.
A clinical technician is responsible for operating and maintaining clinical equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of all laboratory tools and kits to avoid contamination during medical procedures. Clinical technicians assist the patients with their medical inquiries and needs, collecting samples for laboratory, and helping medical professionals on surgeries and other medical operations. They also maintain medical charts, update patients' information on the database, and administer patients' medication. A clinical technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry, as well as strictly following internal guidelines and safety procedures during operations.
Veterinary technician assistants and clinical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Veterinary Technician Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,025 | $35,760 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $49,000 | Between $26,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bakersfield, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | University of Wisconsin System | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a veterinary technician assistant and a clinical technician in terms of educational background:
| Veterinary Technician Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Nursing |
| Most common college | Ohio State University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between veterinary technician assistants' and clinical technicians' demographics:
| Veterinary Technician Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |