Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Curtis Bay MD

How to Pick a Vet Tech Program near Curtis Bay Maryland

Curtis Bay MD vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Curtis Bay MD could at first seem like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a college that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about analyzing and contrasting schools so that you can make the best choice? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for schools that are near their residences. Once they have found some local colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important 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 considered also. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech schools you are evaluating before you make a final selection. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Curtis Bay MD

cat with cone after surgery in Curtis Bay MD Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to 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 immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many duties that they can carry out within the Curtis Bay MD veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the standard vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a structured 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 vets and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast to assistants and generally 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 basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated functions, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years. Therefore the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Curtis Bay

student attending online vet tech school in Curtis Bay MD An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Curtis Bay MD veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for example for commuting and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom programs. Just be sure that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online vet tech school may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Curtis Bay MD Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Curtis Bay MD vet tech schools By now you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you wish to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Curtis Bay MD area as well as across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the vet tech school you choose 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). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding screening process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for many Curtis Bay MD area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Maryland school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final tip, phone some Curtis Bay MD veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs established with Curtis Bay MD veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish associations in the local vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate might indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Curtis Bay MD vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate 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 most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Curtis Bay MD colleges you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Okay, we already talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Curtis Bay MD home, you must make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 larger city. Also, if you do choose to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinary programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Curtis Bay MD. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may find that an online program is the ideal way to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Curtis Bay MD?

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

Maryland Route 173

Maryland Route 173 (MD 173) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Fort Smallwood Road, the state highway runs 13.78 miles (22.18 km) from Fort Smallwood Park near Jacobsville north to MD 2 in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Baltimore. MD 173 connects the beach communities of Riviera Beach and Orchard Beach in northeastern Anne Arundel County and Interstate 695 (I-695) with industrial areas in the Baltimore neighborhoods of Hawkins Point and Curtis Bay, including the United States Coast Guard Yard. MD 173 was mostly constructed in the 1920s and early 1930s. The state highway was put in its modern form with the completion of the bridge over Stony Creek in the late 1940s and expansion to a divided highway between Orchard Beach and Curtis Bay in the late 1970s.

MD 173 begins at the entrance to Fort Smallwood Park northeast of Jacobsville. The state highway heads south as Fort Smallwood Road, a two-lane road that passes by several small beach communities on the Hog Neck peninsula. After intersecting Bayside Beach Road, MD 173 turns southwest and passes along the northern edge of Jacobsville, where the highway meets the northern end of MD 607 (Hog Neck Road). The state highway crosses Rock Creek and meets the northern end of Edwin Raynor Boulevard, where the highway turns north onto a four-lane road with center turn lane. MD 173 passes Northeast Senior High School in Riviera Beach before the highway reduces to a two-lane road with center turn lane at its intersection with Duvall Highway.[1][3]

MD 173 continues north into Riviera Beach. At its intersection with Riviera Drive and Bar Harbor Road, the state highway turns west and crosses Stony Creek on a drawbridge. In Orchard Beach, MD 173 intersects the western end of its old alignment, MD 642 (Greenland Beach Road), then expands to a four-lane road with center turn lane. Passing Cox Creek, the state highway becomes a four-lane divided highway and passes the Herbert A. Wagner Generating Station and the adjacent Brandon Shores Generating Station. MD 173 turns north at Solley Road and passes Marley Neck Boulevard before entering the city of Baltimore.[1][3] Upon entering the Hawkins Point area, the state highway meets Fort Armistead Road, which leads to Fort Armistead Park and an entrance ramp to eastbound I-695 (Baltimore Beltway). MD 173 turns west and its name changes to Hawkins Point Road before the highway intersects Quarantine Road, which leads to a three-quarter diamond interchange with I-695.[2][3]

Enroll in the Best Veterinary Technician Program near Curtis Bay MD

Curtis Bay MD vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the appropriate veterinary technician school is a critical first step to starting a gratifying career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about vet tech schools need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Curtis Bay MD.