Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Springfield MO

How to Enroll In a Veterinary Technician Program near Springfield Missouri

Springfield MO vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Springfield MO may at first seem like a challenging endeavor. After all, you must find and enroll in a school that will deliver the proper training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about analyzing and comparing colleges so that you can make the proper selection? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for schools that are near their homes. When they have identified some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when comparing vet technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician programs you are considering before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the various responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Springfield MO

cat with cone after surgery in Springfield MO Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary factor will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Springfield MO veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training requirements for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in almost all instances 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 community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and usually earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense 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 involved in more involved functions, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years to complete. So the only real 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, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists can 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 Springfield MO laboratories or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered in Springfield

student attending online vet tech school in Springfield MO An approach that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using several methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Springfield MO veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, such as for traveling and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just be sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.

Questions to Ask Springfield MO Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Springfield MO vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinary credential that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Springfield MO area and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that ensures you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Springfield MO area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on online school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Missouri school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations relating to your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Springfield MO vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the colleges you are considering have internship programs established with Springfield MO veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program 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 reviewing. A low rate might signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied 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 may signify that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Springfield MO vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Springfield MO colleges you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to attend some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Okay, we already covered location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Springfield MO home, you need to make certain that the commuting time fits into 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, especially if the campus is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinary programs you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Springfield MO. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure 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 might discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Springfield MO?

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

Springfield, Missouri

Springfield is the third-largest city in the state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County.[5] As of the 2010 census, its population was 159,498. As of 2017, the Census Bureau estimated its population at 167,376. It is one of the two principal cities of the Springfield-Branson Metropolitan Area, which has a population of 541,991 and includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, Webster, Stone and Taney.

Springfield's nickname is "Queen City of the Ozarks" and it is known as the "Birthplace of Route 66". It is home to three universities, Missouri State University, Drury University, and Evangel University.

The origin of the city's name is unclear, but the most common view is that it was named for Springfield, Massachusetts by migrants from that area. One account holds that James Wilson, who lived in the then unnamed city, offered free whiskey to anyone who would vote for the name Springfield, after his hometown in Massachusetts.[6]

Pick the Right Vet Tech College near Springfield MO

Springfield MO vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the ideal veterinary technician school is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech schools must make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Springfield MO.