Onboarding plan

Veterinary Technician Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)

A practical, printable plan to take a new veterinary technician from first day to full productivity.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
Veterinary Technician onboarding at a glance

Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.

Before day one

  • Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
  • Verify required credentials: Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), State credential (CVT, LVT or RVT) (as applicable)
  • Prepare equipment and access: anesthesia machines and monitors; digital radiography; in-house lab analyzers; dental equipment
  • Assign a buddy or preceptor
  • Enroll the new hire in Veterinary Technician training so foundations are covered before or during week one

Week one: orient and protect

  • Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
  • Use proper restraint to prevent bites
  • Wear radiation protection
  • Follow anesthetic gas safety
  • Lift animals with help
  • Shadow an experienced veterinary technician through a full shift
  • Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)

Days 1–30: learn

Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.

  • Supervised practice: monitor anesthesia
  • Supervised practice: restrain a dog for a blood draw
  • Supervised practice: take a diagnostic radiograph
  • Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
  • 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins

Days 31–60: contribute

Goal: handle a regular workload independently.

  • Take patient histories and vital signs: independently
  • Draw blood and run lab tests: independently
  • Take radiographs: independently
  • Place IV catheters and give medications as directed: independently
  • Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
  • Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
  • 60-day check-in

Days 61–90: own

Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.

  • Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
  • Begin cross-training on a secondary task
  • Agree on a credential goal (for example, Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE))
  • Discuss the career path: Veterinary Assistant → Veterinary Technician → Specialist (VTS)
  • 90-day review

Competency checklist

Skill or taskTrainedObservedSigned off
Monitor Anesthesia
Restrain a Dog for a Blood Draw
Take a Diagnostic Radiograph
Animal restraint
Anesthesia monitoring
Radiography
Lab testing

How to measure onboarding success

  • Time to independent work
  • Injuries and equipment damage
  • Quality checks, client complaints or animal outcomes
  • Seasonal return rate

How Veterinary Technician training maps to this plan

  1. Introduction to the Veterinary Technician Role
  2. A Day on the Job
  3. Essential Veterinary Technician Vocabulary
  4. Core Duties and Responsibilities
  5. Common Tasks, Step by Step
  6. Tools, Equipment and Technology
  7. Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
  8. Skills Employers Look For
  9. Launching Your Veterinary Technician Career
  10. Final Knowledge Check
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