Vet Technician Program
How to Find the Right One Near Hartselle Alabama

Finding a veterinary technician school near Hartselle AL to fulfill your passionate goal to work with and provide medical treatment for our pets might from the start seem like an enormous challenge. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you must first locate and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. And in order to pick the best one you must research and compare all of the schools you are considering. Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their residences. When they have found some area colleges, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when evaluating vet tech programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into as well. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are examining. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the various duties of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

Among the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are numerous duties that they can carry out within the Hartselle AL veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialization.

• 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 vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared to assistants and usually acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex duties, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years to complete. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Hartselle AL labs or research facilities as well.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

By now you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you would like to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Hartselle AL area as well as across the United States, you should ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the veterinary technician school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough screening process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is in many cases a requirement for employment for a number of Hartselle AL area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Alabama school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Hartselle AL veterinarians that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Hartselle AL veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate may mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the school has an excellent reputation within the Hartselle AL veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Hartselle AL programs you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Okay, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Hartselle AL home, you have to make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online may be an alternative 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 example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Hartselle AL. Some may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your active life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Technologist in Hartselle

Enroll in the Best Hartselle Veterinary Technologist School

Selecting the right veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech programs must make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the ideal school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Hartselle Alabama.

 

Hartselle Vet Tech Colleges | Hartselle Veterinary Technician Schools