Career change as a veterinary assistant

Career change paths

• Practice manager at a veterinary practice

  Also: Practice manager at an animal clinic

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  As a practice manager, you organize rotas, purchasing, billing and quality management, lead the practice team and relieve the veterinarians.

  What you bring:

  You know all procedures of a veterinary practice, from reception through treatment to billing, and know where time is lost.

  How to get there:

  This is usually an internal promotion in larger practices, practice groups and clinics, often accompanied by courses alongside work on practice management, billing and staff management at private training providers. The trainer aptitude certificate (Ausbildereignung) helps if you also look after the apprentices.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightIn an office
  View job

• Pharmaceutical representative for animal health

  Also: Specialist field consultant for veterinary practices

  With on-the-job training

  In the field sales team of a manufacturer, you visit veterinary practices and clinics, present products, organize further training for practice teams and take feedback on side effects.

  What you bring:

  You know veterinary medicines, vaccines, diet foods and practice supplies from practice and know how veterinary practices work and decide.

  How to get there:

  Manufacturers of veterinary medicines, animal feed and practice supplies train new field sales staff with product and sales training, usually a few weeks. A driving license and willingness to travel are expected. The statutory expertise requirement for pharmaceutical consultants does not apply to veterinary medicines. For human medicines, however, you need the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) exam for certified pharmaceutical representative (Geprüfter Pharmareferent).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,550gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Medical assistant (Medizinische/r Fachangestellte/r)

  With on-the-job training

  In a doctor's practice, you look after patients at reception and in treatment, assist the doctor and take on lab and administrative tasks.

  What you bring:

  You assist with examinations and procedures, draw blood, prepare instruments and organize appointments and billing of a practice.

  How to get there:

  Doctors' practices also hire veterinary assistants (Tiermedizinische Fachangestellte) and train them in the billing and practice software of human medicine, usually for a few weeks to months. For X-rays on humans, you need your own radiation protection knowledge. You reach the recognized qualification through a shortened training or as an external candidate with work practice of one and a half times the training period.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €3,270gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Medical technologist for veterinary medicine (Medizinische/r Technologe/Technologin für Veterinärmedizin)

  Also: Medical laboratory technologist (Medizinische/r Technologe/Technologin für Laboratoriumsanalytik)

  With vocational training

  As a medical technologist for veterinary medicine, you examine samples from animals and food in labs of authorities, research institutions, animal health and food companies, for example for pathogens and residues.

  What you bring:

  You know sampling, lab devices, blood counts and hygiene rules from the veterinary practice.

  How to get there:

  You train at a state-recognized school for 3 years full-time or at most 5 years part-time, with a training contract and training allowance. Admission is with an intermediate school certificate, or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and at least two years of vocational training. Schools for the veterinary medicine track exist only in a few places, while the laboratory analytics track for human medicine is offered much more often.*Regulated by law (MT Professions Act (MTBG) §§ 1, 5, 13, 14).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLittle customer contact

  €3,727gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Anesthesia technical assistant (Anästhesietechnische/r Assistent/in)

  Also: Surgical technical assistant (Operationstechnische/r Assistent/in)

  With vocational training

  As an anesthesia or surgical technical assistant, you work in the hospital in the operating team, instrument during operations or look after patients before, during and after anesthesia.

  What you bring:

  You prepare anesthesia and operations, monitor animals during the procedure and know sterile supplies, instruments and hygiene.

  How to get there:

  You train at a state-recognized school with a practical part in the hospital, 3 years full-time or at most 5 years part-time, with a training allowance. Admission is with an intermediate school certificate, or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and at least two years of vocational training. Shift work (Schichtdienst) and on-call duty are part of the job.*Regulated by law (Anesthesia Technical and Surgical Technical Assistants Act (ATA-OTA-G) §§ 1, 2, 11, 12).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €4,666gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Registered nurse (Pflegefachfrau/Pflegefachmann)

  With vocational training

  As a registered nurse, you care for and monitor people in the hospital, in a care home or at home, plan the care and work closely with doctors.

  What you bring:

  You care for sick and freshly operated animals, give medication, monitor vital signs and deal sensitively with worried animal owners.

  How to get there:

  You complete generalist training, 3 years full-time or at most 5 years part-time, with a training allowance. Admission is with an intermediate school certificate, or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and at least two years of vocational training. Shift, weekend and holiday duties are part of the job.*Regulated by law (Nursing Professions Act (PflBG) §§ 1, 6, 11).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €4,421gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Pharmaceutical-technical assistant (PTA)

  With vocational training

  As a PTA, you advise customers on medicines in the pharmacy, dispense them on prescription, make ointments and other medicines and check starting materials.

  What you bring:

  You know medicines, dosages, dispensing and storage from the veterinary practice's in-house pharmacy and explain the use to animal owners.

  How to get there:

  You complete two years of school-based training at a state-recognized school, then half a year of practical training in a pharmacy, two and a half years in total. Admission is with an intermediate school certificate, or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and at least two years of vocational training. Whether tuition fees apply depends on the federal state and school. As a PTA, you also have the statutory expertise for later work as a pharmaceutical representative (Pharmareferent).*Regulated by law (PTA Professions Act (PTAG) §§ 1, 10, 11).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Lots of contact with people

  €3,300gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Animal physiotherapist

  With vocational training

  As an animal physiotherapist, you treat animals after operations, injuries or for joint diseases with movement therapy, massage and devices, often in cooperation with veterinary practices.

  What you bring:

  You know the anatomy and illnesses of dogs, cats or horses, handle animals calmly and explain the treatment to owners.

  How to get there:

  The title is not protected. Private schools and academies offer training, usually one to two years alongside work with practice phases, and the quality varies a lot. You can work self-employed with your own or a mobile practice, and some animal clinics also hire permanently.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically demandingLots of contact with people
  View job

• Official meat inspection assistant (amtlicher Fachassistent)

  Also: Assistant at the veterinary office (Veterinäramt)

  With training or an exam

  In ante-mortem and post-mortem meat inspection, you check live animals and carcasses for diseases and defects on behalf of the veterinary office, take samples and document findings for the official veterinarian.

  What you bring:

  You handle animals calmly, know signs of disease and hygiene rules from practice and work precisely during examinations.

  How to get there:

  The states organize the training with theory and practice at the slaughterhouse, usually together with the veterinary offices. It takes several months in total and ends with an exam before the responsible authority. You are only appointed with at least a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss), a medical certificate and a criminal record certificate. The positions are often part-time or hourly with a very early start.*Regulated by law (Ordinance on Official Controls of Foods of Animal Origin (Tier-LMÜV) § 3, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/624 Annex II Chapter II).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,908gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.