Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Springfield MA

How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician School near Springfield Massachusetts

Springfield MA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Springfield MA could initially seem like a challenging task. After all, you must locate and enroll in a college that will deliver the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about assessing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the best selection? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. After they have located some nearby schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are significant considerations when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Springfield MA

cat with cone after surgery in Springfield MA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you want to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are many functions that they can perform within the Springfield MA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the conventional vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a trade 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. Normally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared with assistants and generally earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years. So the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Springfield MA labs or research facilities also.

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered in Springfield

student attending online vet tech school in Springfield MA An alternative that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Springfield MA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, such as for travel and study materials, may be lower compared to more standard classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech program may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Springfield MA Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Springfield MA vet tech schools At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian credential that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Springfield MA area and across the United States, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding screening process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Springfield MA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian trade school or college and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Massachusetts school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Springfield MA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best way to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs established with Springfield MA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Springfield MA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate 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 sized, you most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Springfield MA schools you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located? Of course, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Springfield MA home, you have to confirm that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or close by a large city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s important that you determine if the vet schools you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Springfield MA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to sickness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Springfield MA?

If you have decided to attend a Veterinary Technician Program in the Springfield Massachusetts area, then you may find the following information about the location of your school campus interesting and informing.

Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield is a city in the state of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County.[15] Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern Mill River. As of the 2010 Census, the city's population was 153,060.[9]Metropolitan Springfield, as one of two metropolitan areas in Massachusetts (the other being Greater Boston), had a population of 692,942 as of 2010.[11]

The first Springfield in the New World, during the American Revolution, George Washington designated it as the site of the Springfield Armory for its central location. The Armory would play a pivotal role in the Civil War with its manufacture of the famed "Springfield Rifles"; closing during the Kennedy administration, today this national park historic site features the largest collection of historic American firearms in the world.[16] Today the city is the largest in western New England, and the urban, economic, and cultural capital of Massachusetts' Connecticut River Valley (colloquially known as the Pioneer Valley). It is the third-largest city in Massachusetts and fourth-largest in New England after Boston, Worcester, and Providence. Springfield has several nicknames – "The City of Firsts", due to the many innovations developed there, such as the first American dictionary, the first American gas-powered automobile, and the first machining lathe for interchangeable parts; "The City of Homes", due to its Victorian residential architecture; and "Hoop City", as basketball – one of the world's most popular sports[17] – was invented in Springfield in 1891 by James Naismith.

Hartford, the capital of Connecticut, lies 24 miles (39 km) south of Springfield, on the western bank of the Connecticut River. The Hartford-Springfield region is known as the Knowledge Corridor because it hosts over 160,000 university students and over 32 universities and liberal arts colleges – the second-highest concentration of higher-learning institutions in the United States.[18] The city of Springfield itself is home to Springfield College, Western New England University, American International College, and Springfield Technical Community College, among other higher educational institutions.

Enroll in the Best Veterinary Technician Program near Springfield MA

Springfield MA vet tech holding dog Selecting the ideal vet tech school is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech programs need to make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the ideal program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Springfield MA.