Operating Room Veterinary Assistant (ORVA)

Veterinary assistants play a vital role at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. They work alongside our veterinarians and veterinary technicians to provide comfort and care for all our patients. Our veterinary assistants help during patient exams, blood sampling, catheter placement, and assist in running point of care laboratory tests. Our veterinary assistants also take radiographs, assist in ultrasound, and even help prepare surgical instruments and operating room set up. Veterinary assistants can take advantage of our career ladder to learn and grow into advanced positions like surgical instrument assistants and patient care assistants. We also offer tuition assistance to employees wanting to continue their educational goals and the ability to earn externship hours for accredited veterinary technology programs.

The OR Assistant is responsible for providing pre-, intra- and post- operative preparation, care, maintenance, and turnover of the Surgery ORs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of surgical instruments and equipment
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, multi-tasking while paying close attention to details
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment, demonstrating a high level of initiative
• High proficiency in patient handling
• Knowledge of surgical procedures
• Flexibility and the ability to accommodate shift
• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent, college degree preferred

Experience:

• One to two years’ experience as a Surgical Instrument Veterinary Assistant

Duties and responsibilities

Pre-operative

• Review cases scheduled in assigned OR
• Ensure OR is cleaned and ready for cases
• Ensure all instruments needed for the case are in the OR
• Review the surgeon’s case preferences
• Ensure all equipment is functional & OR supplies are stocked
• Perform pre-op radiographs as needed
• Properly drape patient for procedure

Intra-operative

• Assist surgeons as needed
• Retrieve instruments and supplies
• Troubleshoot equipment
• Assist in handling C-Arm to and from OR for intra-op use
• Run insufflation for laparoscopic procedures
• Manage flush for arthroscopy/cystoscopy
• Mange and troubleshoot integration systems

Post-Operative

• Perform post-op radiographs as needed and submit for review
• Place instruments needing cleaning in appropriate location to be turned over
• Clean and restock OR between cases

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Competitive salary
• Generous sign-on bonus $1,000
• Generous paid time off
• Tuition assistance
• 50% discount on veterinary care
• 403b matching
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• You may be eligible for The Public Loan Service Forgiveness Program as we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit employer

Excellence in veterinary medicine since 1910. AMC Offers: 

A Commitment to Lifelong Learning: Founded in 1910, the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center is the world’s largest veterinary teaching hospital, offering compassionate, collaborative, and cutting-edge veterinary care. Our commitment to innovation has led to the creation of one of the most advanced veterinary facilities in the world.

State-of-the-Art Facilities: AMC just completed a major expansion and renovation. This project transformed the hospital’s entire 83,000-square-foot space into a state-of-the-art facility unlike any other. 

Highlights include: A brand-new full floor surgical center, 1.5 Tesla Philips MRI (the exclusive high field MRI for small animals in NYC), 64-slice spiral CT scanner, Electroencephalography (EEG), Elekta Versa HD Linear Accelerator, In-house Laboratory, Ultrasound, Echocardiogram, and Mobile Cone Beam CT

A multidisciplinary team of 140 veterinarians across 20 specialties: With over 20 specialties and services under one roof, our departments frequently work together to deliver the highest quality of patient care in the veterinary field. Our dynamic array of specialists means that we are the go-to place for complex cases.

A Hospital in the heart of NYC: AMC is located in Manhattan, surrounded by leading research and teaching institutions such as Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical School, and NYU. Collaborative research opportunities abound, and our strong focus on education ensures a rewarding career for those passionate about mentoring and advancing veterinary medicine.