Veterinary Assistant - Memorial Veterinary Hospital

Memorial Veterinary Hospital - Dickson City; Dickson City (Lackawanna County); On-site; USD 23,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Memorial Veterinary Hospital - Dickson City is seeking a Veterinary Assistant to provide essential support to the veterinarian during exams and treatments. You will help with diagnostics, procedures, and client communication while ensuring compassionate, professional care for every patient and client.

A sister hospital in Throop complements our team, enabling broader care for GP and urgent cases. The role emphasizes teamwork, accurate record-keeping, and reliable service.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Basic computer proficiency, including practice management software and Microsoft Office.
• Previous experience working with animals preferred; veterinary or animal care background strongly valued.
• Able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and safely handle animals up to 130 pounds.
• Comfortable around cleaning chemicals, anesthetic gases, radiation, zoonotic diseases, and animal bodily fluids.
• Maintains composure and professionalism in emotionally challenging or high-stress situations.
• Professional, neat appearance consistent with hospital standards.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule.

Responsibilities

• Provides compassionate, professional care to patients and clients at all times.
• Communicates clearly and respectfully with clients, doctors, and team members, including answering phones and routing inquiries as needed.
• Handles sensitive client situations with empathy and discretion, escalating medical questions appropriately.
• Assists the veterinarian during exams, diagnostics, treatments, and surgical procedures.
• Safely restrains animals of varying sizes and temperaments using low-stress handling techniques.
• Administers medications, draws up vaccines, collects lab samples, and performs basic lab tests as directed.
• Creates, reviews, and enters treatment plans accurately in the medical record system.
• Educates clients on common vaccinations, medications, and treatment protocols to ensure understanding of care plans and follow-up recommendations.
• Accurately records patient information and maintains organized, up-to-date medical records.
• Enters charges accurately and assists with the client check-out process, including processing payments when needed.
• Ensures exam rooms, treatment areas, and hospital spaces are clean, stocked, and well maintained.
• Demonstrates consistent reliability, punctuality, and commitment to supporting patients, clients, and hospital operations.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Skills

Basic computer proficiency

Animal handling safety

Professional appearance

Low-stress animal restraint

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Experience with animals preferred

Tools

Practice management software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Veterinary Assistant - Memorial Veterinary Hospital

At Memorial Veterinary Hospital located in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, we are dedicated to health and happiness of all the pets that share and enrich our lives. We promise to treat every client like family and every patient like he or she were our own beloved pet. We serve companion animals, and have a sister hospital in Throop that sees GP and Urgent Care cases as well only 12 minutes away!

Veterinary Assistant | Memorial Veterinary Hospital | Dickson City and Throop, PA

Compensation: $17–$24/hour, commensurate with licensure and experience

Position Summary:

The Veterinary Assistant provides essential support to the veterinarian during outpatient exams and throughout the diagnosis and treatment of patients. They care forall patients,assistwith medical procedures, and help ensure each patient receives high-quality, compassionate care. In this role, the Veterinary Assistant also serves as a key connection between the veterinarian and clients. Through exceptional service and communication, the Veterinary Assistant helps build trust and foster lasting relationships with clients and their pets.

PrimaryResponsibilities:

• Provides compassionate, professional care to patients and clients at all times.
• Communicates clearly and respectfully with clients, doctors, and team members, including answering phones and routing inquiries as needed.
• Handles sensitive client situations with empathy and discretion, escalating medical questions appropriately.
• Assists the veterinarian during exams, diagnostics, treatments, and surgical procedures.
• Safely restrains animals of varying sizes and temperaments using low-stress handling techniques.
• Administers medications, draws up vaccines, collects lab samples, and performs basic lab tests as directed.
• Creates, reviews, and enters treatment plans accurately in the medical record system.
• Educates clients on common vaccinations, medications, and treatment protocols to ensure understanding of care plans and follow-up recommendations.
• Accurately records patient information and maintains organized, up-to-date medical records.
• Enters charges accurately and assists with the client check-out process, including processing payments when needed.
• Ensures exam rooms, treatment areas, and hospital spaces are clean, stocked, and well maintained.
• Demonstrates consistent reliability, punctuality, and commitment to supporting patients, clients, and hospital operations.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalentrequired.
• Basic computer proficiency, including the ability to use practice management software and Microsoft Office applications.
• Previousexperience working with animals preferred; veterinary or animal care background strongly valued.
• Able to work safely around cleaning chemicals, anesthetic gases, radiation, zoonotic diseases, and animal bodily fluids.
• Maintains composure and professionalism in emotionally challenging or high-stresssituations.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and safely handle animals up to 130 pounds.
• Comfortable sitting, standing, walking, bending, and kneeling for extended periods throughout the workday.
• Professional, neat appearance consistent with hospital standards.

Hours:

• Must be able toworka flexible schedule and be available for scheduling during all hours the practice is open to support hospital operations.

Compensation and Benefits:

• We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage. In addition, employees are eligible to participate in our 401(k) retirement plan. Other benefits include paid time off, paid holidays and access to employee assistance program.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Memorial Veterinary Hospital - Dickson City’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A \"disabled veteran\" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A \"recently separated veteran\" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An \"active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran\" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An \"Armed forces service medal veteran\" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.