Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Douglasville GA

How to Select a Vet Tech Program near Douglasville Georgia

Douglasville GA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Douglasville GA might at first feel like a challenging undertaking. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a school that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you can make the correct choice? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are close to their residences. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician programs you are looking at before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in Douglasville GA

cat with cone after surgery in Douglasville GA Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal factor will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can carry out within the Douglasville GA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complicated undertakings, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and generally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their general 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 example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states presently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and basically carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Douglasville GA labs or research facilities also.

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Douglasville

student attending online vet tech school in Douglasville GA An option that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided through the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Douglasville GA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, for instance for travel and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online vet tech school may be the right option for you.

Things to Ask Douglasville GA Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Douglasville GA vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you wish to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Douglasville GA area as well as across the United States, you should ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s imperative that you make sure that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, 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 an extensive review process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Douglasville GA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinary college or trade school and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Georgia school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations concerning your targeted schools. As a final tip, call some Douglasville GA veterinarians that you may want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend some schools 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 professional setting. Find out if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Douglasville GA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local vet community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate may signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Douglasville GA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could mean that the training is not highly regarded 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 probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Douglasville GA colleges you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Douglasville GA home, you must make certain that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly 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 increased tuition costs particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online might be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s imperative that you find out if the veterinary colleges you are looking at 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 in the evenings near Douglasville GA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You might discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Douglasville GA?

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

Douglasville, Georgia

Located along a natural rise in the topography, Douglasville was originally known as "Skint Chestnut."[6] The name was derived from a large tree used by Native Americans as a landmark; it was stripped of its bark so as to be more conspicuous.

Douglasville was founded in 1874 as the railroad was constructed in the area. That same year, Douglasville was designated as the county seat of the recently formed Douglas County. The community was named for Senator Stephen A. Douglas.[7]

On September 21, 2009, Douglas County was devastated by the worst flood in Georgia history. Over 18 inches (457 mm) of rain fell in one night, destroying many roads and homes. The county was later declared a disaster area, and the governor of Georgia declared a state of emergency. The flooding most affected the areas of Douglasville, Villa Rica, Austell, Lithia Springs, and Chapel Hill. The disaster killed more than eight people in the county, most of them in the Douglasville area.

Choose the Ideal Vet Tech Program near Douglasville GA

Douglasville GA vet tech holding dog Selecting the appropriate vet tech college is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students thinking about 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 typically handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the best school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Douglasville GA.