Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools West Bloomfield MI

How to Find the Right Vet Tech School near West Bloomfield Michigan

West Bloomfield MI vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near West Bloomfield MI might initially feel like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you must find and enroll in a college that will provide the appropriate training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle reviewing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the best selection? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their homes. Once they have located some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important concerns when comparing vet tech programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are considering before you make a final decision. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the various duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Function of a Vet Tech in West Bloomfield MI

cat with cone after surgery in West Bloomfield MI One of the first decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal determiner will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can carry out within the West Bloomfield MI veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have gone through 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 veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and generally acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function 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 example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically perform the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes 4 years. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, 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 may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in West Bloomfield MI laboratories or research facilities also.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in West Bloomfield

student attending online vet tech school in West Bloomfield MI An approach that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local West Bloomfield MI veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for instance for travel and study supplies, can be cheaper compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you enroll in 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 disciplined enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online vet tech program may be the ideal choice for you.

What to Ask West Bloomfield MI Vet Tech Schools

Questions to ask West Bloomfield MI vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the West Bloomfield MI area and across the USA, you must ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to enroll in a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, 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 confirms you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of West Bloomfield MI area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on 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 concerning your specific schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some West Bloomfield MI veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They might even suggest some colleges 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 environment. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs established with West Bloomfield MI veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be challenging without the help 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 mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the West Bloomfield MI veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you most likely will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the West Bloomfield MI programs you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your West Bloomfield MI home, you have to make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located in or close by a large city. Also, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you ascertain if the veterinarian programs you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near West Bloomfield MI. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online college is the best way to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near West Bloomfield MI?

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

West Bloomfield Township, Michigan

West Bloomfield Township, officially the Charter Township of West Bloomfield, is a charter township in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, within the Detroit metropolitan area. It is one of the most expensive places to live in Oakland County. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 64,690.[3]

West Bloomfield is sometimes referred to by its residents as the "lake township of Oakland County",[5] being heavily dotted with small and medium-sized lakes. Cass Lake, the largest lake in the county, is in part of West Bloomfield, and Pine Lake, which has a private country club on its shore, is only a few miles away from Cass and lies completely within West Bloomfield. In addition, directly west of Pine Lake is Orchard Lake, which also has a private country club on its shore. Orchard Lake is surrounded by the city of Orchard Lake Village. Several smaller lakes are scattered around these larger ones.

Orchard Lake Road runs north-south through the middle of the township and is the main artery of West Bloomfield's economy along with West Maple Road (15 Mile Rd.), flanked on each side by long strip malls and shopping complexes. There are many high-end boutique stores and expensive restaurants to visit. Most of the township's population growth has occurred since the 1960s, as many residents moved there from the inner ring Detroit suburbs. West Bloomfield is located in south-central Oakland County about 10 miles (20 km) to the northwest from the Detroit city limits and has borders with Bloomfield Township to its east, Farmington Hills to its south, Commerce Township to its west, and four communities to its north: Waterford Township, Orchard Lake Village, Keego Harbor, and Sylvan Lake. The communities of West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake Village, Keego Harbor, and Sylvan Lake make up what is known as Greater West Bloomfield.

Choose the Right Veterinary Technician School near West Bloomfield MI

West Bloomfield MI vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech college is an important first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Students considering vet tech programs must make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. 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 choices so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in West Bloomfield MI.