Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Marlborough MA

How to Choose a Veterinary Technician Program near Marlborough Massachusetts

Marlborough MA vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Marlborough MA might initially feel like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will provide the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you can make the best selection? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their homes. After they have found some local schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when comparing vet technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician schools you are evaluating before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the various duties of vet techs and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Marlborough MA

cat with cone after surgery in Marlborough MA One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Marlborough MA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in the majority of 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 vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and generally acquire a two 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 fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to earn 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 more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and possible 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 emergency care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Marlborough MA labs or research facilities also.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Marlborough

student attending online vet tech school in Marlborough MA An approach that might make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending vet school is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are made available via the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Marlborough MA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for example for travel and study materials, can be lower compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just be sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech program may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Marlborough MA Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Marlborough MA vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you wish to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Marlborough MA area and across the Country, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough screening process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for 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 college is frequently a requirement for employment for a number of Marlborough MA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Massachusetts school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations relating to your targeted schools. As a final pointer, phone some Marlborough MA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Marlborough MA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate might indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied 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 may indicate that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Marlborough MA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Marlborough MA colleges you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Marlborough MA home, you have to make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a college 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 taking classes online may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s essential that you determine if the veterinarian programs you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Marlborough MA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm 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 responsibilities. You may discover that an online college is the best way to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Marlborough MA?

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

Marlborough, Massachusetts

Marlborough (often spelled Marlboro) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 38,499 at the 2010 census. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century and made the transition to high technology industry in the late 20th century after the construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Christopher Allen was recorded as marshal of Marlborough in 1638 and married to Mary Wetherbee. John Howe, Jr. in 1656 was a fur trader and built a house at the intersection of two Indian trails, Nashua Trail and Connecticut path.[4] He could speak the language of the Algonquian Indians though the local tribe referred to themselves as the Pennacooks. The settlers were welcomed by the Indians because they protected them from other tribes they were at war with. In the 1650s, several families left the nearby town of Sudbury, 18 miles west of Boston, to start a new town. The village was named after Marlborough, the market town in Wiltshire, England. It was first settled in 1657 by 14 men led by Edmund Rice, John Ruddock and John Howe; in 1656 Rice and his colleagues petitioned the Massachusetts General Court to create the town of Marlborough and it was officially incorporated in 1660. Rice was elected a selectman at Marlborough in 1657. Sumner Chilton Powell wrote, in Puritan Village: The Formation of a New England Town, "Not only did Rice become the largest individual landholder in Sudbury, but he represented his new town in the Massachusetts legislature for five years and devoted at least eleven of his last fifteen years to serving as selectman and judge of small causes."[5]

Marlborough was one of the seven "Praying Indian Towns" because they were converted to Christianity by the Rev. John Eliot of Roxbury. In 1674 a deed was drawn up dividing the land between the settlers and the natives. This is the only record of names of the natives.

Select the Ideal Vet Tech School near Marlborough MA

Marlborough MA vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the ideal veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Students looking into veterinary technician programs need to make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech programs 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 decision. And by picking the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Marlborough MA.