Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools New Hyde Park NY

How to Select a Veterinary Technician Program near New Hyde Park New York

New Hyde Park NY vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near New Hyde Park NY may initially seem like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you must locate and enroll in a school that will furnish the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach evaluating and contrasting colleges so that you can make the ideal choice? Many potential students start their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their residences. When they have found some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech schools you are evaluating before you make a final decision. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the various roles of vet techs and the training options available.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in New Hyde Park NY

cat with cone after surgery in New Hyde Park NY Among the first decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are many duties that they can carry out within the New Hyde Park NY veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing 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 completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared to assistants and typically acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently require vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years to complete. 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 options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Many may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in New Hyde Park NY laboratories or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in New Hyde Park

student attending online vet tech school in New Hyde Park NY An approach that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local New Hyde Park NY veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for instance for commuting and study materials, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just be sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask New Hyde Park NY Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask New Hyde Park NY vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinary degree 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 veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the New Hyde Park NY area as well as across the Country, you should ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to choose 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 veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s important that you verify that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, among 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 rigorous review process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of New Hyde Park NY area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet vocational school or college and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on online school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the New York school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final tip, call some New Hyde Park NY veterinarians that you may want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective way to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs set up with New Hyde Park NY veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A low rate might suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the program has an excellent reputation within the New Hyde Park NY veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the New Hyde Park NY schools you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for 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 consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your New Hyde Park NY home, you need to make certain 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 school is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the vet colleges you are looking at 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 in the evenings near New Hyde Park NY. Some might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family issues. You may find that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near New Hyde Park NY?

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

New Hyde Park, New York

The population was 9,712 at the 2010 census. Because of its close proximity and relatively short commute to Manhattan, it is primarily a commuter village with over 75% of the land used for single family residences, but also has warehouses near the Long Island Rail Road station and retail districts along Jericho Turnpike.

Thomas Dongan, the fourth royal governor of New York, was granted an 800-acre parcel of land in 1683 that included New Hyde Park. It was known as "Dongan's Farm." Dongan built a mansion on what is now Lakeville Road. In 1691 Dongan fled to New England and then Ireland, as King James II and his Catholic forces failed to regain power in England and Ireland.[1][2][3]

In 1715, Dongan's estate was sold to George Clarke (who was Secretary of the Provence of New York). He named it Hyde Park in honor of his wife, Ann Hyde. Clarke sold the property in 1783 and in the early 19th century it was parceled up and sold as farm land. Raising cattle was a chief agricultural enterprise from Dongan's time until the mid-19th century, when cattle farming in the expanding American West forced the farmers into other pursuits.[1][2]

Pick the Right Veterinary Technician College near New Hyde Park NY

New Hyde Park NY vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the appropriate veterinary technician program is an important first step to starting a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students looking into vet tech programs must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you select 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 options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in New Hyde Park NY.