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How to Choose a Vet Tech Program near Thorndike Massachusetts

Thorndike MA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Thorndike MA may at first seem like a challenging task. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a school that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about assessing and comparing programs so that you can make the correct selection? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their residences. Once they have located some local colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant factors when comparing vet tech programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are looking at before you make a final choice. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the varied roles of vet techs and the training options available.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Thorndike MA

cat with cone after surgery in Thorndike MA Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you want to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main determiner will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Thorndike MA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 completion of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated duties, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years to complete. So the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Thorndike

student attending online vet tech school in Thorndike MA An option that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while going to veterinary school is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using various methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Thorndike MA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for instance for traveling and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect option for you.

Things to Ask Thorndike MA Vet Tech Schools

Questions to ask Thorndike MA vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinarian degree that you wish to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Thorndike MA area and across the Country, you need to ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, 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 demanding screening process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Thorndike MA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with online school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Massachusetts school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Thorndike MA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the schools you are considering have internship programs arranged with Thorndike MA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local vet community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate could suggest that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed 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 mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Thorndike MA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could indicate that the training is not well 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 in size, you may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Thorndike MA schools you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to attend some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Thorndike MA home, you have to make certain that the driving 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, especially if the college is located in or close by 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 higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you find out if the veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Thorndike MA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You might discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Thorndike MA?

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

Edward Thorndike

Edward Lee Thorndike (August 31, 1874 – August 9, 1949) was an American psychologist who spent nearly his entire career at Teachers College, Columbia University. His work on comparative psychology and the learning process led to the theory of connectionism and helped lay the scientific foundation for educational psychology. He also worked on solving industrial problems, such as employee exams and testing. He was a member of the board of the Psychological Corporation and served as president of the American Psychological Association in 1912.[1][2] A Review of General Psychology survey, published in 2002, ranked Thorndike as the ninth-most cited psychologist of the 20th century.[3] Edward Thorndike had a powerful impact on reinforcement theory and behavior analysis, providing the basic framework for empirical laws in behavior psychology with his law of effect. Through his contributions to the behavioral psychology field came his major impacts on education, where the law of effect has great influence in the classroom.

Thorndike, born in Williamsburg, Massachusetts,[4] was the son of Edward R and Abbie B Thorndike, a Methodist minister in Lowell, Massachusetts.[5] Thorndike graduated from The Roxbury Latin School (1891), in West Roxbury, Massachusetts and from Wesleyan University (B.S. 1895).[4] He earned an M.A. at Harvard University in 1897.[4] His two brothers (Lynn and Ashley) also became important scholars. The younger, Lynn, was a medievalist specializing in the history of science and magic, while the older, Ashley, was an English professor and noted authority on Shakespeare.

While at Harvard, he was interested in how animals learn (ethology), and worked with William James. Afterwards, he became interested in the animal 'man', to the study of which he then devoted his life.[6] Edward's thesis is sometimes thought of as the essential document of modern comparative psychology. Upon graduation, Thorndike returned to his initial interest, educational psychology. In 1898 he completed his PhD at Columbia University under the supervision of James McKeen Cattell, one of the founding fathers of psychometrics.

Enroll in the Right Veterinary Technician School near Thorndike MA

Thorndike MA vet tech holding dog Selecting the right veterinary technician program is an important first step to starting a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into veterinary technician colleges need to make their selection based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the right college, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Thorndike MA.