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How to Select a Veterinary Technician Program near Dexter Missouri

Dexter MO vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Dexter MO might at first seem like a daunting undertaking. After all, you have to find and enroll in a program that will furnish the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you can make the best choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by searching for schools that are near their residences. After they have located some area schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant considerations when comparing vet technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into also. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate choice. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll explore the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Dexter MO

cat with cone after surgery in Dexter MO One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Dexter MO veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the conventional veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, 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 completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and generally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts 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 included in more complicated functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Dexter MO labs or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Dexter

student attending online vet tech school in Dexter MO 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 training program. Because the classes are made available via the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Dexter MO veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for instance for travel and study supplies, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make sure that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech school may be the perfect choice for you.

Questions to Ask Dexter MO Vet Tech Schools

Questions to ask Dexter MO vet tech schools At this point you should have selected which veterinary degree that you want to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Dexter MO area as well as across the United States, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you want to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. 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 thorough screening process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Dexter MO area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Missouri school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, phone some Dexter MO veterinarians that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They might even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best way to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs established with Dexter MO veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local vet community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? 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 evaluating. A lower rate may mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Dexter MO veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Dexter MO schools you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Dexter MO home, you need to confirm that the commuting time is compatible with 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, particularly if the campus is located in or near a large 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 higher tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course attending online classes might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you ascertain if the veterinary schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Dexter MO. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You may find that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Dexter MO?

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

Dexter, Missouri

Dexter was platted in 1873.[6] One Mr. Dex, an early settler, gave the community the name of his horse, Dexter.[7] Dexter experienced rapid growth with the arrival of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway.[8] A post office called Dexter City was established in 1873, and the name was changed to Dexter in 1887.[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.65 square miles (17.22 km2), of which 6.52 square miles (16.89 km2) is land and 0.13 square miles (0.34 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 7,865 people, 3,359 households, and 2,108 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,206.1 inhabitants per square mile (465.7/km2). There were 3,666 housing units at an average density of 562.3 per square mile (217.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.1% White, 0.5% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.

Choose the Right Veterinary Technician College near Dexter MO

Dexter MO vet tech holding dog Selecting the right veterinary technician school is an important first step to starting a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students looking into vet tech schools must make their decision based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by selecting the ideal school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Dexter MO.