Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Harrison NY - Find Vet Tech Schools Near You

How to Select a Veterinary Technician School near Harrison New York

Harrison NY vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Harrison NY may initially feel like a daunting task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a college that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the right choice? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for schools that are close to their homes. After they have identified some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are significant considerations when evaluating veterinary technician programs, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into as well. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech programs you are considering before you make a final selection. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the different duties of vet techs and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Harrison NY

cat with cone after surgery in Harrison NY Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire 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 devote to your education, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many tasks that they can carry out within the Harrison NY veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern 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 performance of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared to assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are involved in more involved functions, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially perform the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires four years. So the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. A number may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Harrison NY laboratories or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Harrison

student attending online vet tech school in Harrison NY An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided through the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The educational program is taught using multiple methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Harrison NY veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, such as for travel and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online vet tech school may be the perfect option for you.

Things to Ask Harrison NY Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Harrison NY vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you would like to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Harrison NY area and across the United States, you should ask some qualifying 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 the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the vet tech college you select 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 rigorous screening process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is often a prerequisite for employment for many Harrison NY area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the New York school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Harrison NY veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs established with Harrison NY veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate could mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Harrison NY vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may 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 sized, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Harrison NY schools you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located? Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Harrison NY home, you must confirm that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located in or close by 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 fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Harrison NY. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You may find that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Harrison NY?

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

Harrison, New York

Harrison is a coterminous town-village located in Westchester County, New York, approximately 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Manhattan. The population was 27,472 at the 2010 census.[4] Harrison was ranked sixth in the list of the top 10 places to live in New York State for 2014 according to the national online real estate brokerage Movoto.[5]

Harrison was established in 1696 by a patent granted by the British government to John Harrison and three others, who had a year earlier bargained with local Native Americans to purchase an area of land above Westchester Path (an old trail that led from Manhattan to Port Chester) and below Rye Lake.[7] Local custom holds that Harrison was given 24 hours to ride his horse around the area he could claim, and the horse couldn't swim or didn't want to get its feet wet, but this is folklore.[8] In fact, the land below Westchester Path and along Long Island Sound had already been purchased and partly developed by the settlers of Rye, NY.

The area that became Harrison had also been sold in 1661 or 1662, and again in 1666, to Peter Disbrow, John Budd, and other investors or early residents of Rye.[9] Disbrow and Budd evidently lost their paperwork and the land was ultimately granted to Harrison and his co-investors in 1696. So upset were the people of Rye that they seceded to the Colony of Connecticut until 1700, when the King of England ordered Rye to rejoin the Colony of New York.[10]

Select the Right Veterinary Technician School near Harrison NY

Harrison NY vet tech holding dog Selecting the appropriate veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to starting a rewarding career providing care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician schools must make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online programs 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 selecting the ideal college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Harrison NY.