Veterinary Office Manager: A Growing Career You Can Start Without Vet School

The pet healthcare industry is an ever-expanding market, with individuals demanding high-quality veterinary services of their pets and animals. Although some people tend to think of veterinarians or veterinary technicians when considering a career in this area, there exists a third important career choice that enables the smooth running of animal clinics and hospitals: the veterinary office manager. The profession provides the advantage of working in the animal care business without the need to spend time and money on attending veterinary school.

Veterinary office managers contribute to efficient running of a veterinary clinical practice since they make sure that daily operations of the clinical practice are well maintained. They act as the point of connection between the staff, veterinary professionals and clients. The standard tasks include making appointments, front desk coordination, the oversight of administrative personnel, record keeping of patients and billing and collections, placing of orders, and ensuring the clinic is health and safety standards compliant. They also, on most occasions, take charge of employee schedules and help in customer services training.

Wondering about how to become a vet office manager? The good news is that no veterinary degree is required. Most managers of veterinary offices come into veterinary management with an administrative or customer service background. Nevertheless, it is strongly advised that to become competitive and well-prepared for the position, it is recommended to complete specialized training in the sphere of veterinary office management. There are some certificate and diploma programs relating to veterinary administration, business operations and healthcare management that offer students the relevant knowledge so as to make it through.

Topics usually include medical terms and veterinary-specific programs, client communication and officework. Most of them also incorporate modules on how to handle sensitive information, the rules regarding animal health, and how to manage the peculiarities of working in a veterinary environment. Other programs even provide internships/ externships, so students gain a feel of the hands-on atmosphere of a veterinary office.

Besides education, high organizational and communication skills as well as leadership skills are the essential requirements to success. The persons in charge of management of veterinary offices are likely to be the first persons in contact with pet owners and they need to be ready to receive the concerns of pet owners with both compassion and professionalism. They also must be able to handle a high-stress workplace, rapid problem solving, and also keep the clinic operating even during peak periods.

The requirements regarding the salary of veterinary office managers depend on experience, location and size of the clinic. The starting salary can be about 35,000 per year with experienced managers making 50,000 or more. This is a great and sustainable career choice with many benefits offered by various veterinary clinics including health insurance, retirement plan, and reduction on the cost of pet care.

In case you are interested in this career path, websites such as VeterinarySchoolsU.com provide materials that allow you to understand how to become a vet office manager, compare the training opportunities, and get the best course of action toward starting your career.