Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Floral Park NY

How to Find the Right Vet Tech Program near Floral Park New York

Floral Park NY vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Floral Park NY might at first feel like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a college that will deliver the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle evaluating and comparing programs so that you can make the best choice? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for schools that are near their homes. Once they have identified some local schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated also. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician programs you are reviewing before you make an ultimate decision. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the various responsibilities of vet techs and the training options available.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Floral Park NY

cat with cone after surgery in Floral Park NY Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous tasks that they can carry out within the Floral Park NY veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. 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 example for zoos, animal shelters 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 formal 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 techs in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared to assistants and usually obtain a two 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 general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated functions, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently require vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years. So 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 potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Floral Park NY labs or research facilities as well.

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in Floral Park

student attending online vet tech school in Floral Park NY An alternative that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using various methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Floral Park NY veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, for instance for traveling and study materials, can be lower compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just be sure that the program 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 furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal option for you.

Questions to Ask Floral Park NY Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Floral Park NY vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinary degree that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Floral Park NY area and across the USA, you must ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you enroll in 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). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a prerequisite for employment for many Floral Park NY area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include checking with internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the New York school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final tip, contact some Floral Park NY 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 approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs set up with Floral Park NY veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate might mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Floral Park NY vet community and has a substantial 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 assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Floral Park NY colleges you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Floral Park NY home, you need to make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinary schools you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Floral Park NY. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may find that an online college is the best solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Floral Park NY?

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

Floral Park, New York

Floral Park is an incorporated village in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island. The neighborhood of Floral Park in the New York City borough of Queens, is adjacent to the village. The village is at the western border of Nassau County, and is located mainly in the Town of Hempstead, while the section north of Jericho Turnpike is within the Town of North Hempstead. The population as of the US Census of 2010 is 15,863.[4]

The area that is now Floral Park once marked the western edge of the great Hempstead Plains, and by some reports was initially known as Plainfield. Farms and tiny villages dominated the area through the 1870s when the development of the Long Island Rail Road Hempstead Branch and Jericho Turnpike cut through the area. Hinsdale had more than two dozen flower farms after the Civil War.[5] The present-day village of Floral Park was once called East Hinsdale.[6]

In 1874 John Lewis Childs arrived in the area to work for C.L. Allen as a seed seller. After building his own seed and bulb business[7] and starting America's first seed catalog business, Childs bought a great deal of land in the area. To promote his own business and the local horticultural industry, Childs named the local streets after flowers and renamed the area Floral Park. The expansion of the Floral Park Post Office and nearby village businesses are attributed solely to the success of Childs' business.[8] When the local Post Office took the name Floral Park, the Long Island Rail Road followed suit by changing the name of the East Hinsdale station to Floral Park in 1888. Formerly part of Queens, Floral Park became part of the new county of Nassau in 1899, and it was incorporated as a village in 1908. Childs served as its first president starting that year.[9]

Pick the Right Vet Tech Program near Floral Park NY

Floral Park NY vet tech holding dog Choosing the ideal veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career providing care and treatment for animals. Future students considering vet tech colleges must make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. 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 options so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Floral Park NY.