How to Choose a Veterinary Technician School near Smithfield Maine

Achieving your lifelong aspiration of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Smithfield ME could at first seem like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a college that will deliver the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about reviewing and contrasting programs so that you can make the correct choice? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their residences. After they have located some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are considering before you make an ultimate decision. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll explore the different duties of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

The Job of a Vet Tech in Smithfield ME 

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal factor will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the Smithfield ME veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complicated undertakings, 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 controlling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Smithfield

An option that might make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available over the internet, students can attend on their own schedule 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 clinical training, that part can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Smithfield ME 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 example for commuting and study supplies, can be cheaper compared to more standard classroom programs. Just make sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is furnished 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.

Questions to Ask Smithfield ME Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian degree that you wish to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Smithfield ME area and across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It’s imperative that you make sure that the vet tech school you select 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). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive review process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a requirement for employment for a number of Smithfield ME area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation?  The veterinarian trade school or college and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Maine school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, call some Smithfield ME vet clinics that you may want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend one or more colleges 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 medical environment. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Smithfield ME veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the practical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A lower rate could indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Smithfield ME veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Smithfield ME programs you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Smithfield ME home, you must confirm that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Smithfield ME. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to sickness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Smithfield ME?

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

Pick the Right Veterinary Technician College near Smithfield ME

Selecting the right veterinary technician college is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students considering vet tech colleges must make their decision based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Smithfield ME.

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