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How to Choose a Veterinary Technician Program near Wakefield Massachusetts

Wakefield MA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your lifelong goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Wakefield MA may at first feel like a challenging endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will provide the appropriate training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle reviewing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the correct selection? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. After they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when evaluating vet tech schools, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered as well. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech programs you are reviewing before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll talk about the different roles of vet techs and the training options available.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Wakefield MA

cat with cone after surgery in Wakefield MA Among the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main factor will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Wakefield MA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the conventional vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more involved functions, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four 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 options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered in Wakefield

student attending online vet tech school in Wakefield MA An alternative that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided through the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using several methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Wakefield MA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for instance for commuting and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just confirm that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.

Questions to Ask Wakefield MA Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Wakefield MA vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinary degree that you would like to obtain, 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 Wakefield MA area and across the Country, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier 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 undergone a thorough screening process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Wakefield MA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet college or trade school and program you choose should have an excellent 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 assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Massachusetts school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Wakefield MA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs set up with Wakefield MA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A low rate may indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the school has an excellent reputation within the Wakefield MA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Wakefield MA programs you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Wakefield MA home, you need to make certain 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, especially if the school is located close by or within a larger 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 increased tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you find out if the veterinary colleges you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Wakefield MA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family issues. You might find that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Wakefield MA?

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

Wakefield, Massachusetts

Wakefield is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston metropolitan area,[11]incorporated in 1812 and located about 12.5 mi (20.1 km) north-northwest of Downtown Boston. The 73rd most populous municipality in Massachusetts, Wakefield's population was 24,932 at the 2010 census,[1] with a 2016 population estimate of 26,399.[12]

Wakefield was first settled in 1638 and was originally known as Lynn Village. It officially separated from Lynn and incorporated as Reading in 1644 when the first church (First Parish Congregational Church) and the first mill were established. This first corn mill was built on the Mill River on Water Street, and later small saw mills were built on the Mill River and the Saugus River.

The old parish church became known as the Old or South Parish when in 1713 the North Parish was established. This North Parish later became the town of North Reading. In 1769 the West Parish was established. In 1812 the Old or South Parish of Reading separated from Reading and was officially incorporated as South Reading. At the time it was spelled South Redding, not South Reading.

Select the Best Veterinary Technician College near Wakefield MA

Wakefield MA vet tech holding dog Choosing the ideal veterinary technician school is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students considering vet tech programs need to make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs 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 choice. And by picking the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Wakefield MA.