Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Prattville AL

How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician School near Prattville Alabama

Prattville AL vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech school near Prattville AL may at first feel like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will furnish the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the ideal choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. Once they have located some local schools, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when comparing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into as well. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech schools you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the various roles of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Prattville AL

cat with cone after surgery in Prattville AL One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Prattville AL veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the typical vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each position.

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 trade 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. Normally they are not involved with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast to assistants and typically earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more involved activities, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years to complete. So the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician 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 examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Prattville AL laboratories or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered in Prattville

student attending online vet tech school in Prattville AL An option that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using several methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Prattville AL veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, such as for commuting and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the perfect option for you.

What to Ask Prattville AL Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Prattville AL vet tech schools By now you probably have decided on which veterinarian degree that you wish to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Prattville AL area as well as across the Country, you should ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously 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 list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s important that you verify that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that confirms 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 prerequisite for employment for a number of Prattville AL area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with online school rating websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Alabama school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final tip, phone some Prattville AL veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs set up with Prattville AL veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate might indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might signify that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Prattville AL vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you may get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Prattville AL schools you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Okay, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Prattville AL home, you have to make certain 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 attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s essential that you determine if the vet programs you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Prattville AL. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Prattville AL?

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

Prattville, Alabama

Prattville is a city in Autauga and Elmore counties in the State of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 33,960. Nicknamed "The Fountain City" due to the many artesian wells in the area, Prattville is part of the Montgomery metropolitan statistical area and serves as the county seat of Autauga County.

Prattville was founded in 1839 by industrialist and architect Daniel Pratt. The area was largely inhabited by Native Americans and a few settlers when Pratt, a native of Temple, New Hampshire, first observed the Autauga Creek in the 1830s. He purchased approximately 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) from Joseph May at $21.00 an acre, and set out to build his manufacturing facilities and the town along the banks of Autauga Creek. The location was chosen because the creek could supply power to the cotton gin manufacturing equipment. The town became an industrial center and rapidly grew. In 1868, it was named the county seat for Autauga County.[4]

On February 17, 2008, Prattville was hit by an F3 tornado which destroyed more than 45 homes and businesses and damaged over 700. Twenty-nine people were injured with no fatalities. Preliminary estimates put the damage at $85 million in insured and uninsured damages.[6]

Pick the Right Vet Tech Program near Prattville AL

Prattville AL vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the ideal veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students thinking about veterinary technician colleges need to make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Prattville AL.