Vet Technician School
How to Find the Best One Near La Crosse Wisconsin

Choosing a veterinary technician school near La Crosse WI to fulfill your lifelong goal to help and care for animals might from the start seem like an overwhelming challenge. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you must first locate and finally enroll in a school that will provide the necessary education and training. And so that you pick the best one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech programs, many potential students start by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes. Once they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when assessing vet tech schools, they are not the only important ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are assessing. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the various duties of vet techs and the training options available.

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

Vet Tech Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of tasks that they can perform within the La Crosse WI veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most cases 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 vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex functions, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. A number may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  La Crosse WI laboratories or research facilities as well.

What to Ask Vet Tech Programs

At this point you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you would like to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the La Crosse WI area and across the Country, you must ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that ensures you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for many La Crosse WI area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet college or vocational school and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Wisconsin school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some La Crosse WI vet clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs set up with La Crosse WI veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may 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 evaluating. A low rate might mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the program has an exceptional reputation within the La Crosse WI veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the La Crosse WI colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your La Crosse WI home, you must make sure that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located near or in a large city. Also, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's imperative that you ascertain if the veterinary programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near La Crosse WI. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online school is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in La Crosse

Enroll in the Best La Crosse Vet Technologist Program

Selecting the appropriate vet tech college is a critical first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students looking into vet tech programs need to make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the ideal school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in La Crosse Wisconsin.

 

La Crosse Vet Tech Colleges | La Crosse Veterinary Technician Schools