Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Cartersville GA

How to Select a Veterinary Technician School near Cartersville Georgia

Cartersville GA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Cartersville GA might initially seem like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a school that will provide the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the right selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. When they have identified some area schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are significant factors when evaluating veterinary technician programs, they are not the only critical 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 veterinary technician schools you are considering before you make a final decision. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the varied roles of vet techs and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Cartersville GA

cat with cone after surgery in Cartersville GA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal 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 supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many jobs that they can perform within the Cartersville GA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade 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 associated with more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training in contrast to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated functions, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam 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 Cartersville GA labs or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Cartersville

student attending online vet tech school in Cartersville GA An option that might make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while going to veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided over the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Cartersville GA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, such as for commuting and study materials, may be lower compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Cartersville GA Vet Tech Schools

Questions to ask Cartersville GA vet tech schools At this point you probably have determined which veterinary degree that you would like to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Cartersville GA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly respected 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 verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a requirement for employment for many Cartersville GA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with internet school rating websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Georgia school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final pointer, call some Cartersville GA 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 one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Cartersville GA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate might signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may indicate that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Cartersville GA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Cartersville GA programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Okay, we already covered 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 Cartersville GA home, you have to make certain that the commuting time is compatible with 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 campus is located close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Cartersville GA. Some might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of work, sickness or family issues. You may discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Cartersville GA?

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

Cartersville, Georgia

Cartersville is a city in Bartow County in the U.S. state of Georgia; it is located within the northwest edge of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 19,731.[8] Cartersville is the county seat of Bartow County.[9]

Cartersville was first known as Birmingham to its original English settlers.[10] The town was incorporated as Cartersville in 1854.[10] The present name is for Col. Farish Carter of Milledgeville, the owner of a large plantation.[11][12]

The Etowah River flows through a broad valley south of the downtown, leading west to Rome, where it forms the Coosa River, a tributary of the Alabama River. The city limits extend eastward, upriver, as far as Allatoona Dam, which forms Lake Allatoona, a large U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir. Red Top Mountain State Park sits on a peninsula in the lake, just outside the city limits. Nancy Creek also flows in the vicinity. The highest point in the city is 1,562 feet (476 m) at the summit of Pine Mountain.[14]

Choose the Ideal Vet Tech Program near Cartersville GA

Cartersville GA vet tech holding dog Choosing the right veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students looking into vet tech schools need to make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s essential 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 programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Cartersville GA.