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How to Choose a Vet Tech School near Braintree Massachusetts

Braintree MA vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Braintree MA may initially feel like a daunting endeavor. After all, you have to find and enroll in a program that will furnish the necessary training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the proper choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their residences. When they have identified some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when evaluating vet technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs need to be looked into also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician schools you are looking at before you make an ultimate decision. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Function of a Vet Tech in Braintree MA

cat with cone after surgery in Braintree MA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be based 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 technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are numerous duties that they can perform within the Braintree MA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the standard vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries. A few of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental 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 involved functions, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially perform the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. So the main distinction 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 potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Braintree MA laboratories or research facilities also.

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in Braintree

student attending online vet tech school in Braintree MA An approach that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Braintree MA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, for instance for travel and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just be sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Braintree MA Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Braintree MA vet tech schools At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you want to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Braintree MA area and across the Country, you should ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that verifies you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Braintree MA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet vocational school or college and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Massachusetts school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final tip, contact some Braintree MA veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs established with Braintree MA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the practical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate may mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Braintree MA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate 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 may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Braintree MA programs you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Braintree MA 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or close by a large city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinary programs you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Braintree MA. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family issues. You may find that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Braintree MA?

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

Braintree, Massachusetts

Braintree (US: /ˈbreɪnˌtri/), officially the Town of Braintree, is a suburban New England city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government, and is considered a city under Massachusetts law.[5] The population was 35,744 at the 2010 census.[6] The town is part of the Greater Boston area with access to the MBTA Red Line, and is a member of the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission's South Shore Coalition.[7] The first and current mayor of Braintree is Joe Sullivan.[8][9]

Braintree, Massachusetts is named after Braintree, Essex in England. The town was first chartered in 1640. Later, some sections of Braintree formed separate municipalities: Quincy (1792), Randolph (1793), and Holbrook (1872).

The town of Braintree was settled in 1625,[1] colonized in 1635 and incorporated in 1640[3] and named after the English town of Braintree. In addition to the present Braintree, it comprised land that was later split-off into the separate municipalities of Quincy (incorporated in 1792), Randolph (1793), and Holbrook (1872).[10] Braintree was part of Suffolk County until the formation of Norfolk County in 1793.[11]

Choose the Right Vet Tech School near Braintree MA

Braintree MA vet tech holding dog Selecting the right vet tech program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students looking into veterinary technician colleges must make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Braintree MA.