With its biggest city, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. at its doorstep, Maryland offers plenty of vet office manager roles across the state and in surrounding areas.
The population of the D.C. metro continues to expand, and with it comes a growth in pet ownership and veterinary practices.
Becoming a vet office manager in Maryland offers a wealth of benefits, with the most common being the rewarding feeling of helping others and their little furry friends.
If vet office management sounds like a field you are interested in joining, keep reading to learn more about the process of becoming a vet office manager in Maryland!
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Vet Office Manager Duties in Maryland
Vet office management blurs the lines between human resources, business management, event planning, and animal care.
Many of the duties of vet office managers include:
Human Resources
Vet office managers are responsible for hiring, training, and terminating staff.
They are also experts in conflict resolution and must provide guidance and direction using leadership skills to their support staff.
Additionally, these professionals must develop a client-centric work culture for their employees and other staff at the facility.
Business Management
The business aspect of the role includes scheduling vet appointments, creating and analyzing financial statements, developing a budget, creating and maintaining an inventory system, managing client complaints and questions, and overseeing medical records and billing.
Event Planning
Although the event planning part of the job is minimal and nonexistent in many practices, some owners want the business involved in the local community.
Therefore, the vet office manager may set up fundraisers or attend other local events to promote the practice.
Animal Care
Many office management professionals must assist in dealing with the animals, such as knowing how to restrain a pet for surgery, dental work, or baths.
Another important function is maintaining the veterinary equipment to ensure it’s sterilized after each use and medical tools are disposed of properly since they are hazardous waste.
Licensing Requirements to Become a Vet Office Manager
Like all other states, Maryland doesn’t have any licensing requirements.
Although a degree is also not required by the state, all employers want the minimum of a 12-month training program to be eligible for the position.
After three years of relevant employment, vet office managers are eligible to sit for the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager exam, which provides the CVPM designation.
This certification often provides a salary boost along with additional critical skills to make office managers more productive employees.
Vet Office Manager Programs
Hagerstown Community College
At a comprehensive cost of just under $4,000, HCC offers a self-paced, 18-month vet office manager program that includes vouchers for Microsoft and QuickBooks Certified User exams.
The program covers animal care topics, like assisting during surgery, administering medicine and vaccines, and proper restraint techniques.
It also covers critical business topics like software use, bookkeeping, inventory control, and managing medical records.
Penn Foster
As one of the leading online trade schools in the U.S., it’s no surprise that Penn Foster offers an excellent 12-month, self-paced vet practice management program.
In addition to providing the skills and knowledge necessary for an entry-level position within the vet office management field, the program also focuses on preparing students to sit for the CVPM exam.
The curriculum covers ethics and business skills like creating budgets, balancing finances, and maintaining a company, as well as leadership skills like planning, controlling, organizing, decision-making, and leading.
The tuition cost is $1,600 and includes all fees, books, and other required materials.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Hagerstown Community College | 11400 Robinwood Dr, Hagerstown, MD 21742, United States |
| Penn Foster | 200 Hickory Street Scranton, PA 18505 USA |
Salary
The national compensation average for a vet office manager is $86,400 compared to $88,800 in Maryland.
| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Baltimore | $88,634 |
| Frederick | $92,600 |
| Gaithersburg | $95,704 |
| Germantown | $93,117 |
| Dundalk | $88,634 |
| Waldorf | $95,704 |
| Ellicott City | $88,547 |
| Columbia | $88,461 |
| Potomac | $95,962 |
| Rockville | $95,876 |
Regional Salary in Maryland
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,170 | $43,470 | $20.9 | $58,660 | $31,220 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 80 | $40,530 | $19.49 | $57,090 | $30,800 |
| Salisbury, MD-DE | 180 | $39,790 | $19.13 | $56,480 | $28,710 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Sources
https://onlinetraining.hagerstowncc.edu/training-programs/veterinary-office-manager/
https://www.vocationaltraininghq.com/how-to-become/veterinary-practice-manager/
https://www.pennfoster.edu/programs/veterinary/veterinary-practice-management-certificate
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a vet office manager in Maryland?
The time required to become a vet office manager varies based on the amount of education you wish to receive.
Many earn associate degrees, which takes approximately two years plus the time to find a job.
Some opt for a bachelor’s degree, which takes another two years of education, totaling four years plus the time to find a job.
There are also certificate options that focus solely on vet office management.
Certificates can take between 12 and 18 months, with most being available in an online format.
The more education you receive, the higher starting salary you will earn out of school.
What Maryland facilities are vet office managers qualified to work in?
Vet office managers have many options regarding employment environments since they are needed in facilities where animals require treatment and care.
These locations include animal shelters, pet adoption centers, zoos, hospitals, research facilities, and rescue sanctuaries.
Many veterinary practices have multiple locations, so some office managers are responsible for managing multiple sites within a specified radius.
Is there a demand for a vet office manager in Maryland?
The number of households with pets has grown in every state due to the newfound love of wellness and health for animals.
As a result, more veterinary practices have opened in recent years, thus creating more jobs for vet office managers.
Animals are part of the daily lives of so many Americans, so taking them to the vet is necessary.
The need for vet office managers is expected to continue growing in the future.
How to Become a Vet Office Manager by State