How to Choose a Vet Tech School near Chase Louisiana
Realizing your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Chase LA could at first seem like a challenging task. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a program that will furnish the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about reviewing and contrasting schools so that you can make the proper selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their residences. Once they have located some area colleges, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are significant concerns when comparing vet tech programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated also. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech schools you are evaluating before you make a final selection. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll talk about the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.
The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Chase LA
One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can carry out within the Chase LA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each position.
- Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from 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 complex activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
- Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared with assistants and generally earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally 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 veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real difference 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 required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Chase LA laboratories or research facilities as well.
Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Chase
An option that might be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinarian school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered via the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using various methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Chase LA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for instance for commuting and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more standard classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. 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 self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech program may be the perfect choice for you.
Questions to Ask Chase LA Vet Tech Schools
By now you should have determined which veterinary degree that you wish to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Chase LA area and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.
Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier 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 demanding review process that confirms you will obtain a quality 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 schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for many Chase LA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.
What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Louisiana school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final tip, contact some Chase LA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They might even recommend some programs 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 clinical setting. Ask if the colleges you are considering have internship programs arranged with Chase LA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Assistance Offered? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate may mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Chase LA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Chase LA programs you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the School Located? Okay, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Chase LA home, you have to make certain 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or close by a large city. Also, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinarian programs you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Chase LA. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You might find that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet training into your active life.
Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Chase LA?
If you have decided to attend a Veterinary Technician Program in the Chase Louisiana area, then you may find the following information about the location of your school campus interesting and informing.
Belle Chasse, Louisiana
Belle Chasse is a census-designated place (CDP) in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. Belle Chasse is part of the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area. The population was 12,679 at the 2010 census.[1]
There is little consensus regarding the origin of the name Belle Chasse. In French, belle chasse literally means "beautiful hunting." It is widely believed that it was so named due to the richness of wildlife which the initial French colonists observed when they settled in the region. Others say that Belle Chasse was named after a Colonel Joseph D. Bellechasse, who lived in New Orleans around the late 18th and early 19th century. Alternatively, it was named after the plantation of Deville de Goutin Bellechasse.[4]
The Confederate statesman Judah P. Benjamin was the most famous owner of the Belle Chasse plantation. After falling into decay and abandonment by the 1930s, the landmark plantation house was demolished in 1960.[5] The bell was salvaged and today is in front of the Belle Chasse Public Library.
Enroll in the Right Vet Tech School near Chase LA
Enrolling in the right vet tech school is a crucial first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Students looking into vet tech schools need to make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the ideal program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Chase LA.
Other Doggone Good Cities in Louisiana
Business Results 1 - 10 of 2
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 