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.

The occupation "Veterinary Technologists and Technicians" carries an automation risk of 30.2%, with a base risk rated slightly higher at 30.6%. This means that nearly a third of the job's current tasks are susceptible to automation, typically due to the repetitive and rule-based nature of certain responsibilities. Many routine functions, especially those requiring precise monitoring or standardized protocols, present clear opportunities for automation technologies to take over, streamlining efficiency and accuracy within veterinary practices. However, a significant portion of the job remains resistant, mainly due to the need for specialized skills and the capacity for real-time, adaptive problem-solving. The moderate overall risk reflects the balance between tasks that technology can currently handle and those that require a level of dexterity or complexity challenging for machines to replicate. The most automatable tasks for veterinary technologists and technicians are generally those that follow strict protocols and can be systematically executed by machines. For instance, "administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted," is highly automatable, as both anesthesia administration and monitoring can be managed by advanced software and sensor-based systems. Similarly, tasks like "caring for and monitoring the condition of animals recovering from surgery" often involve repetitive monitoring and routine care, which robotic or automated systems can efficiently perform. Another distinctive automated area is "maintaining controlled drug inventory and related log books," where digital record-keeping and inventory management systems offer substantial efficiency and compliance benefits, minimizing manual errors and labor. Conversely, several core responsibilities in this occupation are notably resistant to automation due to their hands-on, adaptive, or nuanced nature. Procedural tasks such as "conducting specialized procedures, such as animal branding or tattooing or hoof trimming" require a blend of technical skill, observation, and real-time problem-solving in the presence of unpredictable animal behavior. Similarly, grooming duties including "bathing animals, clipping nails or claws, and brushing or cutting animals' hair" necessitate tactile precision, an understanding of animal temperaments, and physical dexterity. Administrative duties like "performing a variety of office, clerical, or accounting duties," while partially automatable, still depend on human judgment for customer interactions and flexible problem resolution. The presence of bottleneck skills such as Originality, albeit at moderate levels (2.9%–3.0%), further underscores that while certain aspects of the profession may be automated, the full spectrum of adaptive, creative, and hands-on skills keeps the automation risk to a relatively modest level.