Taking your animal companions to a veterinary clinic can be a nervy experience, you battle with several concurrent thoughts that dwindle from the moderate to the worse possible outcomes. A big part of what calms the nerves, upon one’s arrival at the veterinary clinic is the setting, the ‘vibe’, and most importantly the mode of reception at the front desk/reception. We will discuss the Veterinary Receptionist Job Description complete guide over here.
A veterinary receptionist is the first point of contact between the clients/customers and the veterinary clinic. The job, in many cases, merges management and secretarial duties. Different veterinary jobs come bearing different specificities in relation to their job descriptions. Let’s take a look at these specificities in the subsequent paragraphs.
Veterinary Receptionist Job Description
Job descriptions for veterinary receptionists are usually similar in many ways. A veterinary receptionist is the first point of contact with clients and as such, great interpersonal communication is required of a person who is looking to become a veterinary receptionist. The job also requires adequate mathematical skills and a basic understanding of Microsoft office suite or related software.
A veterinary receptionist must be adept at working with animals of all kinds or at least, have a certain level of enthusiasm that demonstrates a genuine willingness to learn.
The job of a veterinary receptionist also touches on aspects of project management and financial management. Project management in the sense that a veterinary receptionist is the daily planner of a veterinary clinic, in terms of planning out schedules and scheduling appointments for clients. Financial management in the sense that many small-scale veterinary clinics run a two-man operation with just the doctor and the front desk- veterinary receptionist. These veterinary clinics require someone to document the incomes and the expenses. This is usually under the purview of the veterinary receptionist.
Salary
According to Glassdoor, the average yearly base pay of a veterinary receptionist is $30,322, with a high of $16-$17 per hour.
What Are The Duties Of A Veterinary Receptionist?
A veterinary receptionist’s major duty is being at the forefront, interacting with clients, and coordinating communication flow between the clients and the doctors/assistants/specialists and vice versa/ The duties of a veterinary receptionist may be larger or smaller in scope depending on the size of the veterinary clinic/operation. In smaller/medium scale veterinary clinics, a veterinary receptionist may be tasked with additional tasks and duties that touch on general administration, to doctoral assistant to financial management and budgeting. In larger veterinary clinics/operations, the role is a little more defined with a veterinary receptionist being mainly tasked with coordination of information between clients, assistants, specialists, and clients. However, a veterinary receptionist may be handed several odd tasks here and there. Listed below are some of the duties that define the role and position of a veterinary receptionist in a veterinary clinic.
- Receiving clients: A veterinary receptionist is the first point of contact between patients and the doctors/specialists. Hence, the veterinary receptionist, amongst other duties, functions, and roles, is front desk personnel tasked with receiving the client’s complaints and dispersing them through the appropriate channels.
- Scheduling and tracking clients’ appointments: Animals typically have recurring periodic checkups to help them maintain good health levels. A veterinary receptionist is responsible for scheduling these checkups and sending appointment reminders, where applicable, per instructions from the doctors/specialists.
- Engaging clients through client callbacks: Veterinary receptionists at many veterinary clinics will also be tasked with many secretarial duties, amongst which is engaging clients through callbacks. The call back may serve several purposes, it could be to remind a client of an appointment, or to check in on the state of health of a client.
- Fill and track prescriptions: In small and medium-scale veterinary clinics where the staff consists of only the doctors/specialists and the veterinary receptionists, the veterinary receptionists may be tasked with assisting in filling and tracking prescriptions.
- Pay attention to client and pet needs: Part of the job requirements is excellent communication skills and intuition to know what a client and her/his pet needs.
- Experience working with animals: A veterinary receptionist must be good with and fond of working with animals. This is a non-negotiable requirement in every veterinary receptionist job posting.
- General Customer service: As front desk personnel and front contact clients have with the veterinary clinic, a veterinary receptionist must be skilled in basic customer service prerequisites: conversation, openness, ability to offer a degree of comfort to clients.
- Maintaining medical records: The veterinary receptionist keeps records of clients. Records range from but are not limited to, prescriptions, appointments, checkup dates, etc.
- Create and maintain client history documents: Other than maintaining medical records, veterinary receptionists create and manage other documents relating to client history and records.
- Other secretarial duties: Assisting the doctors and specialists in whatever way necessary.
- Good understanding of office suite or related software: Basic knowledge of technology is required for creating, maintaining, and updating the aforementioned documents.
- Process payments: The veterinary receptionist at small and medium scale clinics is tasked with processing all payments relating to registration, prescription, checkup, and related services.
- Bridge information to and from the clients to the doctors and vice versa
Listed above, are the most common duties that may be associated with a veterinary receptionist.
How To Become A Veterinary Receptionist
There is no specially outlined procedure to become a veterinary receptionist. Animal lovers around the world are taking up offers at veterinary clinics daily in attempts to provide first-class care to man’s best friend and man’s best friends’ friends.
A high school leaving diploma or GED are convincing enough requirements for anyone to be considered for a role as a veterinary receptionist.
In addition to a high school leaving diploma or a GED, many successful veterinary receptionists take certification courses that enhance their employability chances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I become A veterinary receptionist without certification?
Yes. The major requirements to become a veterinary receptionist are a high school diploma or a GED and very good reasoning and mathematical skills.
Is The Job Of A Veterinary Receptionist Rewarding?
This depends on your love for animals. If you don’t mind being around animals for extended periods during working hours, it may not be for you.
