How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician School near Bogue Kansas
Achieving your long term dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Bogue KS could at first seem like a daunting undertaking. After all, you have to find and enroll in a college that will deliver the appropriate training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about analyzing and contrasting programs so that you can make the best choice? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. Once they have found some nearby colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician programs you are considering before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the different roles of vet techs and the training options offered.
The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Bogue KS
One of the first decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are numerous duties that they can carry out within the Bogue KS veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each position.
- Vet Assistants in most cases will have undergone a formal 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 veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
- Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. 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 basically perform the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Many may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Bogue KS labs or research facilities as well.
Online Vet Tech Programs Offered in Bogue
An option that may be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered over the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The educational program is taught using various methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Bogue KS veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for traveling and study supplies, may be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just be sure that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online vet tech school may be the perfect option for you.
Questions to Ask Bogue KS Veterinary Technician Colleges
By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Bogue KS area and across the Country, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.
Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s important that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 thorough review process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a prerequisite for employment for many Bogue KS area vet practices and hospitals.
What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Kansas school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Bogue KS veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The best means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the colleges you are considering have internship programs arranged with Bogue KS veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish 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 aid in the search for employment after graduation.
Is Job Assistance Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate could indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Bogue KS veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower 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 larger sized, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Bogue KS colleges you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback from students regarding 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 School Located? Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Bogue KS home, you have to 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, especially if the school is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s important that you find out if the veterinarian schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Bogue KS. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online school is the best solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.
Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Bogue KS?
If you have decided to attend a Veterinary Technician Program in the Bogue Kansas area, then you may find the following information about the location of your school campus interesting and informing.
Bogue, Kansas
Bogue was established in 1888 as a railroad town.[7] It originally was named Wild Horse but the Union Pacific Railroad changed the name to honor Virgil Gay Bogue, a civil engineer working for the railroad and the founder of the city.[8][9]
Bogue is located at 39°21′35″N 99°41′18″W / 39.359648°N 99.688282°W / 39.359648; -99.688282 (39.359648, −99.688282).[11] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.26 square miles (0.67 km2), all of it land.[1]
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Bogue has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[12]
Pick the Ideal Vet Tech Program near Bogue KS
Picking the ideal veterinary technician program is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Students looking into vet tech programs need to make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the ideal school, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Bogue KS.
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