Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools New London NH

How to Choose a Veterinary Technician Program near New London New Hampshire

New London NH vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong aspiration of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near New London NH may at first seem like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you must search for and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you can make the right selection? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their residences. After they have located some local schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when assessing vet tech schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into also. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are considering before you make a final choice. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Function of a Veterinary Technician in New London NH

cat with cone after surgery in New London NH Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many tasks that they can carry out within the New London NH veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard veterinarian practice, for example 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 most instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 techs in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and typically earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more involved functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. 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 for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires four years to complete. So the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in New London NH labs or research facilities as well.

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in New London

student attending online vet tech school in New London NH An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local New London NH veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, for example for travel and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.

What to Ask New London NH Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask New London NH vet tech schools By now you probably have selected which veterinarian degree that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the New London NH area and across the USA, you need to ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to choose 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 vet tech programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s important that you make sure that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously 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 undergone a demanding review process that verifies you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a requirement for employment for many New London NH area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you enroll in should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the New Hampshire school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final tip, get in touch with some New London NH veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with New London NH veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local vet community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the New London NH veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the New London NH programs you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the subject. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your New London NH home, you have to confirm 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, especially if the campus is located in or close by a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s essential that you find out if the veterinarian schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near New London NH. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near New London NH?

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

New London, New Hampshire

The town center, where 1,403 people resided at the 2010 census,[1] is defined as the New London census-designated place (CDP), and is located on a hilltop along New Hampshire Route 114 north of Route 11 and Interstate 89.

In 1753, the Masonian Proprietors of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, granted the area now called New London as "Heidelberg". Although it appears on some New Hampshire maps, the township was never settled, and the 1753 grant lapsed into default.

In 1773, roughly the same area was awarded as the "Alexandria Addition" to a new group of speculators, who had previously been granted the adjacent township of Alexandria. These proprietors were led by Jonas Minot of Concord, Massachusetts, but the others were Scotch-Irish immigrants living in Londonderry, New Hampshire. None built dwellings in the Alexandria Addition. Instead they recruited settlers to build roads, mills, schools, and a church—all increasing the value of their land holdings. Nearly all of the original settlers came from Massachusetts, either from the Amesbury area of the north shore or from the Attleboro area in the southeast. The township proprietors soon began a long, systematic process of subdividing and selling their properties at great profit.

Enroll in the Right Vet Tech School near New London NH

New London NH vet tech holding dog Choosing the right vet tech college is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students thinking about veterinary technician schools must make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals when 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 vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the best program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in New London NH.