Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Lees Summit MO

How to Pick a Vet Tech Program near Lees Summit Missouri

Lees Summit MO vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Lees Summit MO could at first feel like a challenging endeavor. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a program that will furnish the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about assessing and contrasting programs so that you can make the ideal selection? Many future students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. Once they have found some area schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are significant factors when assessing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs need to be looked into also. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are considering before you make a final decision. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in Lees Summit MO

cat with cone after surgery in Lees Summit MO Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the Lees Summit MO veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the standard vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared to assistants and generally earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years. 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 job opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Many may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Lees Summit MO laboratories or research facilities also.

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered in Lees Summit

student attending online vet tech school in Lees Summit MO An approach that might make sense 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 offered over the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Lees Summit MO veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, such as for travel and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just make 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 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 right option for you.

Questions to Ask Lees Summit MO Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Lees Summit MO vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinary credential that you want to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Lees Summit MO area and across the USA, you need to ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you want to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s important that you confirm that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, 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 an extensive review process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a requirement for employment for many Lees Summit MO area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinary trade school or college and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Missouri school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final tip, contact some Lees Summit MO veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about 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 experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Lees Summit MO veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish relationships in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A lower rate could indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Lees Summit MO veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Lees Summit MO programs you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Lees Summit MO home, you must make sure that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s important that you find out if the veterinarian schools you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Lees Summit MO. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to work, sickness or family issues. You may discover that an online college is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Lees Summit MO?

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

Lee's Summit, Missouri

Lee's Summit is a city located within the counties of Jackson (primarily) and Cass in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census its population was about 91,364, making it the sixth-largest city in both the state and in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.[7] In 2006, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Lee's Summit 44th on its list of the "100 Best Cities to Live in the United States."[8] That ranking improved to 27th on the 2010 list.[9]

Founded as the "Town of Strother", by William B. Howard for his wife, Maria D. Strother (daughter of William D. Strother formerly of Bardstown, Kentucky). Howard came to Jackson County in 1842 from Kentucky, married Maria in 1844, and by 1850 he and Maria had 833 acres (3.37 km2) and a homestead five miles (8 km) north of town. There was also another town called Strother. He was arrested for being a Confederate in October 1862, near the beginning of the Civil War, and after being paroled he took his family back to Kentucky for the duration of the war. After the war ended he returned and, knowing that the Missouri Pacific Railroad was surveying a route in the area, platted the town with 70 acres (280,000 m2) in the fall of 1865 as the town of Strother.[10][11]

In 1865 the town of Strother changed its name for early settler Dr. Pleasant John Graves Lea, who moved to Jackson County in 1849, from Bradley County, Tennessee. Lea was listed as the postmaster of Big Cedar in the 1855 United States Official Postal Guide.[12] Dr. Lea was killed in August 1862 by Kansas Jayhawkers (or Redlegs).[13]

Enroll in the Right Vet Tech School near Lees Summit MO

Lees Summit MO vet tech holding dog Picking the right veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to starting a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students thinking about vet tech schools need to make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Lees Summit MO.