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How to Choose a Vet Tech Program near Decatur Georgia

Decatur GA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Decatur GA may at first seem like a daunting task. After all, you must locate and enroll in a school that will provide the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle analyzing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the correct choice? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their homes. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when evaluating veterinary technician programs, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician schools you are looking at before you make a final decision. We have presented several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the various duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Function of a Veterinary Technician in Decatur GA

cat with cone after surgery in Decatur GA Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the principal factor will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Decatur GA veterinary practice 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 technicians and technologists that work away from the typical veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared with assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially perform the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered in Decatur

student attending online vet tech school in Decatur GA An option that might make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available via the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Decatur GA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, such as for traveling and study materials, may be lower compared to more standard classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the right choice for you.

Things to Ask Decatur GA Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Decatur GA vet tech schools At this point you probably have determined which veterinary credential that you would like to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Decatur GA area and across the Country, you need to ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s important that you verify that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, among 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 screening process that ensures you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a requirement for employment for a number of Decatur GA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Georgia school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Decatur GA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs arranged with Decatur GA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate could mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Decatur GA veterinarian 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 ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Decatur GA programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Okay, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Decatur GA home, you must make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or near a larger 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 fees especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s essential that you find out if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Decatur GA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family issues. You may find that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Decatur GA?

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

Decatur, Georgia

Decatur is a city in, and the county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia that is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 20,148 in the 2013 census,[3] the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name. The city is served by three MARTA rail stations. The city is located approximately 5 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta and shares its western border with Atlanta.

Decatur was established at the intersection of two Native American trails: the Sandtown, which led east from the Chattahoochee River at Utoy Creek, and the Shallowford, which follows today's Clairmont Road, and eventually crossed near Roswell. It was named for United States Navy Commodore Stephen Decatur.

During the American Civil War, Decatur became a strategic site in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. In July 1864, Major-General James McPherson occupied the town to cut off the Confederates' supply line from Augusta. On July 22, during the Battle of Atlanta, Confederate cavalry under Major-General Joseph Wheeler attacked McPherson's supply wagons and the Union troops left to defend the wagons. A historical marker at the old courthouse marks the site of this skirmish.

Pick the Best Vet Tech School near Decatur GA

Decatur GA vet tech holding dog Picking the right veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students thinking about vet tech schools need to make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Decatur GA.