Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Norman Park GA

How to Find the Right Vet Tech School near Norman Park Georgia

Norman Park GA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Norman Park GA might initially seem like a challenging endeavor. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a school that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the right selection? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their homes. When they have identified some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when comparing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician schools you are looking at before you make a final choice. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll talk about the various roles of vet techs and the training options offered.

The Function of a Veterinary Technician in Norman Park GA

cat with cone after surgery in Norman Park GA One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. 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 specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are numerous functions that they can carry out within the Norman Park GA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern 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 completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex activities, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared with assistants and normally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. So the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. A number may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Norman Park GA labs or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in Norman Park

student attending online vet tech school in Norman Park GA An approach that may make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are offered over the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The syllabus 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 segment can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Norman Park GA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for instance for commuting and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just confirm that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the right option for you.

Things to Ask Norman Park GA Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Norman Park GA vet tech schools By now you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Norman Park GA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s important that you verify that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding review process that verifies you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for many Norman Park GA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian trade school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Georgia school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, phone some Norman Park GA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with Norman Park GA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local vet community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can 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 reviewing. A lower rate could signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy 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 might indicate that the program has an excellent reputation within the Norman Park GA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could mean that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Norman Park GA colleges you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Yes, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Norman Park GA 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 commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s essential that you determine if the veterinary programs you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Norman Park GA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family issues. You may discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Norman Park GA?

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

Norman Park, Georgia

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8.0 km2), of which 3.1 square miles (8.0 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 0.64%, is water.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 849 people, 328 households, and 246 families residing in the city. The population density was 272.6 people per square mile (105.4/km²). There were 374 housing units at an average density of 120.1 per square mile (46.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.09% White, 20.38% African American, 0.94% Native American, 2.12% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.42% of the population.

There were 328 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.05.

Pick the Right Veterinary Technician School near Norman Park GA

Norman Park GA vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech college is an important first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students thinking about veterinary technician schools need to make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. 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 narrow down your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the ideal school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Norman Park GA.