Vet Technician Training
How to Find the Best One Near Auburn Alabama

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Auburn AL to achieve your heartfelt desire to help and provide medical treatment for animals might from the start seem like an enormous challenge. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a program that will furnish the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. And so that you pick the best one you must research and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. When looking for vet tech programs, the majority of students begin by targeting those that are closest to their homes. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when evaluating 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 location and cost. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician programs you are evaluating before you make a final decision. We have furnished several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the various responsibilities 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 have to make is if you want to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Auburn AL veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training in contrast to assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes 4 years to complete. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered

An option that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The educational program is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Auburn AL veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for instance for commuting and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the right option for you.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Auburn AL area as well as across the USA, you must ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's essential that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough screening process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a precondition for employment for a number of Auburn AL area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with online school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations 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 suggestion, call some Auburn AL veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs established with Auburn AL veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop relationships in the local vet community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate might indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the program has an excellent reputation within the Auburn AL veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Auburn AL colleges you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Auburn AL home, you must make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located near or in a large 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 attending classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary schools you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Auburn AL. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies. You might discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Auburn

Enroll in the Right Auburn Vet Technologist College

Enrolling in the appropriate veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students thinking about veterinary technician schools must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Auburn Alabama.

 

Auburn Veterinary Technician Schools | Auburn Online Vet Tech Programs