The following is a list of essential job requirements. This list may be revised at any time and additional duties not listed here may be assigned as needed. Dependable attendance is required. Assist doctor and other hospital staff by care and cleaning of patients and facilities including completing patient treatments, assisting in surgery and all other animal care functions as well as other tasks involved in the operations of a veterinary hospital. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: - Previous exp... more details
Position Title: Doctor Assistant
Reports To: Office Manager
Department: Administrative Staff
Employee Status: Exempt
Job Summary:
The following is a list of essential job requirements. This list may be revised at any time and additional duties not listed here may be assigned as needed. Dependable attendance is required.
Assist doctor and other hospital staff by care and cleaning of patients and facilities including completing patient treatments, assisting in surgery and all other animal care functions as well as other tasks involved in the operations of a veterinary hospital.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Previous experience or training working in a veterinary facility preferred.
• Must be friendly, outgoing, “people oriented.”
• Excellent communications skills.
• Must be capable of being cross-trained for front office receptionist duties that will be expected in the job.
• Telephone and computer skills are necessary.
• Must be a team player willing to learn new techniques and treatments and to accept change.
Education and Experience:
• High School Diploma.
- BS in Animal Science +/- RVT strongly encouraged, but not required
Physical Requirements:
• Dependable attendance is required.
• Any allergies to animals must be controllable through medication.
• Must be able to lift up to 40 pounds.
• Must be willing to work long or irregular hours under pressure conditions.
• This position requires the ability to walk, bend, stand and reach constantly during a minimum 8/10hour day.
• Visual acuity sufficient to maintain accurate records, recognize people and understand written directions.
• Ability to speak and hear sufficiently to understand, give information in person and over the telephone.
• Fine motor skills adequate for utilizing hospital equipment such as electric clippers, syringes, radiology equipment, laboratory equipment, computers, etc.
1. Client Relations: Verbal and written communications (phone, emails, text, etc…), discussing treatment plans and the potential of accepting deposits on treatment plans. Doctor communication to clients via the assistant.
• Agree to incorporate the principles of the VCA Mission Statement, Three Steps of Service and VCA Standards of Client Service in their daily job performance.
• Demonstrate excellent relations with clients/pets in waiting and/or exam rooms:
- Assist receptionists with client/patient checking in/out of hospital.
- Ensure that clients and pets feel welcome and comfortable.
- Build rapport with clients and pets.
- Greet clients and pets by name.
- If there is a delay, keep clients informed of expected waiting times.
- Must support reception staff by providing telephone support to ensure that clients’ calls and requests are being processed in a timely manner.
- Provide support to reception staff in appointment scheduling.
- Ability to effectively communicate and educate clients on general animal husbandry and answer non-medical questions:
- General dietary requirements and feeding schedules.
- Vaccines.
- Basic dietary recommendations.
- Dental care instructions.
- Routine laboratory tests, i.e. fecals, heartworm, leukemia, etc.
- Housebreaking techniques.
- General flea and tick control.
- Discharge and Hospitalizing patients
• Faxing/emailing patient records to pDVM’s when needed
• Client reminder calls the day prior to surgery or procedure
• Address any and all medical refills within 24hrs of request
2. Nursing Care: Assisting doctor with any and all patients. Being available to assist other team members throughout the hospital when needed.
• Compassionate nursing care is the top priority for all patients.
• Make certain all patients are kept clean and as comfortable as possible.
• Ensure all patients are clearly identified on entry, cage card, and ID collar.
• Assist veterinarians to direct traffic (patients and care) and leverage staff time.
• Efficiently organize daily duties and medical-surgical procedures.
• Participate in client communication and education, explaining administration of medications, follow-up care, diet recommendations and general animal care.
• Flexibility in working hours is required to ensure that the job is done properly.
- Emergency and Triage Skills:
- Emergency safety/use of PPE
- Ability to recognize CPA and initiate CPR in accordance with hospital policy, knowledge of basic emergency drugs and routes of administration..
- Understand the concept of triage, basic exam and assessment (without diagnosing)
- Differentiate between normal and abnormal vital parameters
- Animal restraint in according with their diseases and its process.
3. Housekeeping/Maintenance: Stocking and cleaning exam room, cleaning surgery and dental suites, sterilize and pack surgical and dental equipment
• Make certain entire hospital both inside and outside, including treatment, surgery, kennels, runs, parking lot and entry is kept extremely clean throughout the day (so that a client could come back and see their pet without any notice). This includes your own clothing and appearance.
• Advise Medical Director or Technical Supervisor of any conditions that are unsafe, including unrecognized hazards or infractions of safety rules.
4. Examinations/Assessments: Providing support to the doctor during physical exams, and providing support for written documentation (SOAP’s).
• Ability to perform a cursory examination of an animal.
• Ability to use a stethoscope and otoscope.
• Ability to recognize fleas, ticks and other external parasites.
• Ability to recognize other potential health care issues, i.e., dental or exam by a veterinarian.
• Clearly communicate your findings to doctor. Refuse to make a diagnosis.
5. Record Keeping: Assisting the doctors with written exams in WoofWare’s electronic medical record, obtaining labwork and providing assistance with diagnostic reports.
• Keep records up to date. This includes client records with charges, medical history, vaccine status, medications administered, laboratory reports, etc.
• Maintain all log books (radiology, surgery, anesthesia, laboratory and controlled substance logs).
• Attending to Doctors voicemails and follow up calls
• Handwriting must be neat and legible.
6. Anesthesia: Anesthesia induction, monitoring and recovery.
• Understand how to maintain and use our inhalation anesthetic machines.
• Administer certain anesthetics under direct doctor supervision.
• Monitor anesthesia under direct doctor supervision.
• Familiarity with procedures and antidotes for an anesthesia emergency.
7. Surgery: Anesthesia support during any surgical procedures and dentals.
• Understand how to prep animals for aseptic surgery.
• Understand aseptic technique in the surgery room and participate in maintaining sterile conditions.
• Know the names and general uses of surgical instruments and equipment.
• Maintain and sterilize surgical instruments and packs.
• Be willing and able to assist the doctor with certain surgical procedures.
8. Radiology: Offering assistance to the radiology techs for all radiographic imaging.
• Position animals properly to the radiographs.
• Know how to properly use positioning devices so that patients may be radiographed without the requirement of assistants holding animals in place whenever possible.
• Push images to the AIS server
• Maintain and care for all radiology equipment.
• Practice all safety regulations in regard to radiology.
9. Dentistry: Experience, or willing to learn, dental prophylaxis +/- extractions (RVT’s only)
• Understand how to set up and use a Dental Prophylactics unit.
• Perform routine dental prophylactics.
- Know general uses of our instrumentation for endodontic, exodontic, etc.
- Ability to take dental radiographs if necessary.
10. Laboratory: Capability of phlebotomy, and submission of specimens to requested labs (Antech)
• Draw blood samples.
• Collect stool and urine samples.
• Prepare lab request forms.
11. Pharmacy: Knowledge of most commonly used medications (Flea preventatives, Antibiotics, Analgesics, NSAID’s, etc…)
• Create prescription labels, fill prescriptions and dispense medications as directed by a doctor.
• Control inventory and assist in ordering medications and supplies.
• Maintain proper storage and safekeeping of drugs as directed by a doctor.
12. Marketing
• Understand, participate and support planned VCA marketing events and programs.
• Present marketing promotions to clients in a professional manner
Pay Ranges from $19 and up depending on experience
If you are a current associate, you need to apply through our internal career site. Please log into Workday and click on the Jobs Hub app or search for Browse Jobs.
Benefits: We offer competitive compensation along with a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and paid vacation/sick days, 401(k), generous employee pet discounts and more!
The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, change in personnel, workload, or technical development).
We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer - Veterans / Disabled. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com.
