Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Human edge, growing
Veterinary technologists and technicians
Perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases. Prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, and execute laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts. Clean and sterilize instruments and materials and maintain equipment and machines. May assist a veterinarian during surgery.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 95% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +9.4% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on physical dexterity and ethical judgement.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $47,380
- Job growth to 2035
- +9.4%
- Openings a year
- 13,400
- People doing it (2025)
- 131,000
- Usual route in
- Associate's degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Prepare mixtures or solutions
- Explain medical information to patients or family members
- Advise patients or clients on medical issues
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Assist healthcare practitioners during medical procedures
- Administer basic health care or medical treatments
- Monitor health conditions of humans or animals
What the work looks like
- Administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted.
- Care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery.
- Maintain controlled drug inventory and related log books.
- Perform laboratory tests on blood, urine, or feces, such as urinalyses or blood counts, to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems.
- Prepare and administer medications, vaccines, serums, or treatments, as prescribed by veterinarians.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Dental hygienistsHuman edge, growing, Index 96, +8.0%
- Surgical assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +6.1%
- Dental assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 97, +7.4%
- Physical therapist assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +23.0%
Also known as: Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT), Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), Veterinary Technician (Vet Tech), Emergency Veterinary Technician (Emergency Vet Tech), Internal Medicine Veterinary Technician (Internal Medicine Vet Tech), Veterinarian Technician (Vet Tech), Veterinary Laboratory Technician (Vet Lab Tech).
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.