Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Thomasville GA

How to Pick a Vet Tech School near Thomasville Georgia

Thomasville GA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Thomasville GA may at first feel like a daunting endeavor. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a college that will provide the proper training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about analyzing and comparing schools so that you can make the correct choice? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for schools that are close to their residences. After they have found some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when evaluating vet tech schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be considered as well. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician programs you are reviewing before you make an ultimate decision. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the varied duties of vet techs and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Thomasville GA

cat with cone after surgery in Thomasville GA Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the primary determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many tasks that they can carry out within the Thomasville GA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern 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 veterinarians and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training in contrast to assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved functions, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years. So the only real 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, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Many may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Thomasville GA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in Thomasville

student attending online vet tech school in Thomasville GA An alternative that may be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Thomasville GA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for example for travel and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.

What to Ask Thomasville GA Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Thomasville GA vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinary credential that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Thomasville GA area as well as across the United States, you must ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive review process that confirms you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is often a prerequisite for employment for many Thomasville GA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinary college or vocational school and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on online 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 grievances or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Thomasville GA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs set up with Thomasville GA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A lower rate may mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Thomasville GA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean that the training is not highly 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 larger in size, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Thomasville GA schools you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students concerning 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 previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Thomasville GA home, you must make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you find out if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Thomasville GA. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family issues. You might discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Thomasville GA?

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

Thomasville, Georgia

The city deems itself the City of Roses and holds an annual Rose Festival. The city features plantations open to the public, a historic downtown, a large farmer's market, and a 308-year-old oak tree at the corner of Monroe and Crawford streets. The population was 19,340 at the 2013 United States Census.[4]

In 2016, Thomasville was featured as the second best historic small town on USA Today's 10 Best List Reader's Choice after Bisbee (Arizona) but ahead of Abingdon (Virginia), Mackinac Island (Michigan), and Astoria (Oregon).

Thomasville was founded in 1825 as seat of the newly formed Thomas County. It was incorporated as a town in 1831 and as a city in 1889. The community was named for Jett Thomas, a general in the War of 1812.[5]

Pick the Best Veterinary Technician School near Thomasville GA

Thomasville GA vet tech holding dog Selecting the appropriate vet tech school is a crucial first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Students looking into vet tech schools need to make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Thomasville GA.