Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools West Lafayette OH

How to Select a Veterinary Technician School near West Lafayette Ohio

West Lafayette OH vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near West Lafayette OH may initially seem like a daunting task. After all, you must locate and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach reviewing and comparing colleges so that you can make the right choice? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their homes. Once they have found some area schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician schools you are reviewing before you make a final choice. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the varied duties of vet techs and the training options offered.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in West Lafayette OH

cat with cone after surgery in West Lafayette OH One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary technician, assistant 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 specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many jobs that they can carry out within the West Lafayette OH veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have undergone 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 trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared with assistants and normally earn a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and basically carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four 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 career options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in West Lafayette OH laboratories or research facilities as well.

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in West Lafayette

student attending online vet tech school in West Lafayette OH An alternative that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinarian school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local West Lafayette OH veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, for instance for traveling and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom programs. Just be sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the right option for you.

What to Ask West Lafayette OH Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask West Lafayette OH vet tech schools At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian credential that you wish to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the West Lafayette OH area as well as across the United States, you need to ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s important that you confirm that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously discussed, one of the most highly respected 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 confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a precondition for employment for many West Lafayette OH area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with online school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Ohio school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final pointer, phone some West Lafayette OH veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs established with West Lafayette OH veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate could suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the West Lafayette OH 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 assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the West Lafayette OH schools you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to attend a few 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 determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located? Okay, we previously discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your West Lafayette OH home, you have to make sure 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 near a large 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 fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s essential that you determine if the vet schools you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near West Lafayette OH. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near West Lafayette OH?

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

West Lafayette, Ohio

West Lafayette was laid out in 1850 by Robert Shaw and William Wheeler.[4][5] In 1855, the Steubenville and Indiana Railroad was built through the new town. The line became known as the Panhandle Route and was operated in the Pennsylvania Railroad[6] system and currently by the Columbus and Ohio River Railroad (Ohio Central Railroad System). Tragedy struck this track on September 11, 1950 when the crack passenger train "Spirit of St. Louis" hit another train carrying 600 men of the 109th Field Artillery Battalion of the Pennsylvania National Guard.[7] 33 men were killed. A memorial was placed near the site of the accident in 1990. A 105mm howitzer is at the memorial also, commemorating the manufacture of 105mm shells at Moore Enamelling across the tracks during WWII.

The village was once known as the "Enamel Center of the World".[8] Before plastics were invented, steel vessels covered with a ceramic called enamelware were the norm in American homes. In 1903 the Lafayette Stamping and Enameling Co. was founded. Moore Enameling and Jones Metal also manufactured enamelware. Jones Metal remains. Another industry is Yankee Wire, manufacturer of wire screens.

The village is built upon a level plain in the Tuscarawas River valley and is surrounded by forested hills and agricultural valleys. The Ohio Central Railroad passes through the town. Immediately north of the village is U.S. Route 36. Both of these are major arteries connecting Columbus with points east.

Enroll in the Ideal Veterinary Technician Program near West Lafayette OH

West Lafayette OH vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the right vet tech school is an important first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech schools must make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in West Lafayette OH.