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How to Choose a Vet Tech School near Cobb Georgia

Cobb GA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your lifelong goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Cobb GA may at first seem like an overwhelming task. After all, you need to find and enroll in a school that will provide the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle analyzing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the correct selection? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. After they have found some local colleges, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when comparing vet tech schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated also. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make an ultimate choice. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Function of a Vet Tech in Cobb GA

cat with cone after surgery in Cobb GA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can carry out within the Cobb GA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, 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 vets and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more involved activities, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and typically earn a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated duties, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet techs and technologists can 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 Cobb GA laboratories or research facilities also.

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in Cobb

student attending online vet tech school in Cobb GA An option that might make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are made available through the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Cobb 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 expenditures, for example for traveling and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more conventional 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 complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal option for you.

What to Ask Cobb GA Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Cobb GA vet tech schools By now you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Cobb GA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s important that you verify that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous screening process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Cobb GA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinary college or vocational school and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. 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 internet school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Georgia school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Cobb GA veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Cobb GA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate might signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Cobb GA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Cobb GA programs you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in some 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 backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located? Yes, we previously covered location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Cobb GA home, you must make sure 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, particularly if the college is located close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, 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 ascertain if the veterinary schools you are exploring 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 in the evenings near Cobb GA. Some might only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online college is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Cobb GA?

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

Cobb County, Georgia

Cobb County is a suburban county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2017, the population was 755,754,[1] making it Georgia's third most-populous county. Its county seat and largest city is Marietta.[2]

Along with several adjoining counties, Cobb County was founded on December 3, 1832, by the Georgia General Assembly from the large Cherokee County territory—land northwest of the Chattahoochee River which the state confiscated from the Cherokee Nation and redistributed to settlers via lottery, following the passage of the federal Indian Removal Act.[3] The county was named for Thomas Willis Cobb, a U.S. representative and senator from Georgia. It is believed that Marietta was named for his wife, Mary.[4]

The U.S. Census Bureau ranks Cobb County as the most-educated in the state of Georgia and 12th among all counties in the US.[6] It has ranked among the Top 100 wealthiest counties in the nation.[7] In October 2017, Cobb was ranked as the "Least Obese County in Georgia"[8]

Choose the Best Veterinary Technician College near Cobb GA

Cobb GA vet tech holding dog Selecting the ideal vet tech college is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician colleges must make their decision based on a number of key factors. 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 animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online schools 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 choice. And by picking the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Cobb GA.