Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Huntington WV

How to Pick a Veterinary Technician Program near Huntington West Virginia

Huntington WV vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Huntington WV may at first seem like a daunting endeavor. After all, you must 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 go about reviewing and contrasting programs so that you can make the proper selection? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by searching for schools that are close to their residences. After they have found some nearby schools, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important factors when assessing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your assessments. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation should be looked into as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are considering before you make an ultimate selection. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll explore the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Function of a Veterinary Technician in Huntington WV

cat with cone after surgery in Huntington WV Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you plan to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many functions that they can carry out within the Huntington WV veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with assistants and usually earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes 4 years. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Huntington WV laboratories or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Huntington

student attending online vet tech school in Huntington WV An approach that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are provided over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Huntington WV veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for instance for traveling and study materials, can be lower compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Huntington WV Vet Tech Schools

Questions to ask Huntington WV vet tech schools At this point you probably have selected which veterinary degree that you wish to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Huntington WV area and across the Country, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s important that you verify that the veterinary technician school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, 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 demanding screening process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Huntington WV area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinary trade school or college 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 interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the West Virginia school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Huntington WV veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective way to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Huntington WV veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate may suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Huntington WV vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not highly 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, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Huntington WV colleges you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Of course, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Huntington WV home, you have to make certain that the driving time fits into 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, especially if the campus is located close by or within 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 costs particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinary colleges you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Huntington WV. Some might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of sickness, work or family issues. You might find that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Huntington WV?

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

Huntington, West Virginia

Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne Counties [5] in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Cabell County, and largest city in the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, sometimes referred to as the Tri-State Area. A historic and bustling city of commerce and heavy industry, Huntington has long-flourished due to its ideal location on the Ohio River at the mouth of the Guyandotte River. It is home to the Port of Huntington Tri-State, the second busiest inland port in the United States.[6]

Surrounded by extensive natural resources, the industrial sector is based in coal, oil, chemicals and steel all of which support Huntington's diversified economy. The city is a vital rail-to-river transfer point for the marine transportation industry. Also, it is considered a scenic locale in the western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. This location was selected by Collis Potter Huntington as ideal for the western terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, the predecessor of what would become CSX Transportation which still operates CSX Transportation-Huntington Division in the city to date.

The railroad founded Huntington as one of the nation's first planned communities to facilitate the railroad and other transportation-related industries at the railway's western terminus. Developing fast after the railroad's completion in 1871, the site was previously a collection of agricultural homesteads, and is eponymously named for the railroad company's founder Collis Potter Huntington. The first identifiable permanent settlement, Holderby's Landing, was founded in 1775 in the Colony of Virginia. With the exception of the neighborhoods of Westmoreland and Spring Valley, most of the city is in Cabell County.[7]

Select the Right Veterinary Technician College near Huntington WV

Huntington WV vet tech holding dog Picking the ideal vet tech program is a crucial first step to starting a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students looking into veterinary technician schools need to make their decision based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Huntington WV.