Veterinary Technician College
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Athens Alabama

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Athens AL to fulfill your passionate desire to help and provide medical treatment for animals might initially seem like an enormous challenge. After all, you must search for and enroll in a college that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. And in order to pick the best one you must evaluate and compare each of the schools you are considering. Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. Once they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important factors when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech programs you are considering before you make a final decision. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW

Vet Technician Degree Options

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous functions that they can carry out within the Athens AL veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the conventional veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training in contrast to assistants and typically acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years. So the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Many may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Athens AL labs or research facilities as well.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Athens AL area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other significant qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the vet tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that confirms you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a requirement for employment for a number of Athens AL area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Alabama school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final tip, get in touch with some Athens AL vet clinics that you may want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best way to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the colleges you are considering have internship programs arranged with Athens AL veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate might signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Athens AL veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Athens AL colleges you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Okay, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Athens AL home, you need to confirm that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you determine if the vet schools you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Athens AL. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Athens

Enroll in the Best Athens Vet Technologist College

Choosing the right vet tech college is an important first step to starting a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for animals. Students looking into vet tech colleges must make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Athens Alabama.

 

Athens Vet Tech Colleges | Athens Veterinary Technician Schools