Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Dewitt MI - Find Vet Tech Schools Near You

How to Choose a Vet Tech Program near Dewitt Michigan

Dewitt MI vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong aspiration of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech program near Dewitt MI could at first seem like a challenging task. After all, you must search for and enroll in a program that will deliver the appropriate training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about reviewing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the right selection? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their residences. After they have located some local colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when comparing vet tech schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be considered also. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician schools you are considering before you make a final choice. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the various duties of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Dewitt MI

cat with cone after surgery in Dewitt MI One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of functions that they can perform within the Dewitt MI veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialization.

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 finishing a certificate program at a vocational 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. Usually they are not involved with more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians receive more extensive training in contrast to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years. Therefore 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, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Dewitt

student attending online vet tech school in Dewitt MI An option that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Dewitt MI veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for instance for commuting and study materials, can be lower compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the right choice for you.

What to Ask Dewitt MI Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Dewitt MI vet tech schools At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian degree that you wish to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Dewitt MI area and across the Country, you should ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s important that you confirm that the veterinary technician program 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 gone through a rigorous review process that ensures you will get a quality 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. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Dewitt MI area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Michigan school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final pointer, phone some Dewitt MI veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you get 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 most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs established with Dewitt MI veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local vet community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate could indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Dewitt MI veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify 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 bigger, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Dewitt MI schools you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students regarding 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 School Located? Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Dewitt MI 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located in or close by a large city. In addition, 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 costs particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinary programs you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Dewitt MI. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of work, sickness or family emergencies. You may find that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Dewitt MI?

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

DeWitt, Michigan

DeWitt was named after DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York during the 1820s. It was first settled by Captain David Scott, who moved there from Ann Arbor in 1833, and platted the land. The State Legislature formally created DeWitt Township on March 23, 1836. The first township meeting was held at the house of Captain Scott on April 8, 1836. A gentleman by the name of Welcome J. Partelo was named the township’s first Supervisor at that meeting.

It did not take long for the State to divide DeWitt Township into the many townships that we recognize today. In 1837, the township was split in half by a North/South line with the western half becoming Watertown Township. Two years later, the township was again split in half by an East/West line with the northern half becoming Bingham Township. One day later, the Governor approved an act, which split the remaining township area in half by an east/west line with the eastern half becoming Ossowa Township (renamed Bath Township in 1857). The final split of the township came in 1841 with the northern half of the remaining land becoming Olive Township. In four years, DeWitt Township went from encompassing the entire county to its current boundary.

The county seat for Clinton County was also located in DeWitt Township from the inception of the County. The county seat remained in DeWitt Township until December 1857 when it was moved to high Hall, in the village of St. Johns, until a new courthouse could be built.

Choose the Best Veterinary Technician School near Dewitt MI

Dewitt MI vet tech holding dog Picking the right vet tech program is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for animals. Future students looking into veterinary technician schools must make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative 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 colleges 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 selecting the right school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Dewitt MI.