Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Oglethorpe GA

How to Pick a Veterinary Technician Program near Oglethorpe Georgia

Oglethorpe GA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech program near Oglethorpe GA may at first seem like an overwhelming task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a program that will provide the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the correct selection? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. After they have located some area schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when assessing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are reviewing before you make a final choice. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the various responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Function of a Veterinary Technician in Oglethorpe GA

cat with cone after surgery in Oglethorpe GA Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the principal factor will probably be which specialization 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 while there are many tasks that they can perform within the Oglethorpe GA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 techs in the execution of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians receive more extensive training in contrast to assistants and typically acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years to complete. So the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Oglethorpe GA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered in Oglethorpe

student attending online vet tech school in Oglethorpe GA An alternative that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to veterinary school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided through the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Oglethorpe GA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, for instance for travel and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make certain 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 provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the right option for you.

What to Ask Oglethorpe GA Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Oglethorpe GA vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you want to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Oglethorpe GA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want 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 need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, one of 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 rigorous review process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is often a precondition for employment for many Oglethorpe GA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinary trade school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Georgia school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Oglethorpe GA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Find out 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 means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs set up with Oglethorpe GA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A low rate could indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Oglethorpe GA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance 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. Request from the Oglethorpe GA programs you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor 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 previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Oglethorpe GA home, you need to make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 close by or within a larger city. Also, 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 particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes could be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s essential that you find out if the vet schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Oglethorpe GA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Oglethorpe GA?

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

Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia

Fort Oglethorpe is a city predominantly in Catoosa County with some portions in Walker County in the U.S. state of Georgia.[4] As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,263.[5] It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is home to Lakeview – Fort Oglethorpe High School.

The United States Army established a cavalry post at the site of Hargrave, Georgia, an unincorporated town situated next to the Chickamauga National Battlefield. The existing settlement was named for a Confederate soldier, William Hamilton Hargrave, who along with his wife Amelia Cecilia Strange-Hargrave owned most of the land in the area. The couple was well known in the 19th century to travellers heading to Ross's Landing on the Tennessee River from LaFayette, Georgia. William Hargrave and other landowners in the area were forced to sell their property to the Army[citation needed] to be used as a base for the 6th Cavalry. The Chickamauga Post established in 1902 by the U.S. Army was later named Fort Oglethorpe after James Oglethorpe, the founder of the Colony of Georgia. During World War I and World War II, the area served as a war-time induction and processing center, and also housed German prisoners of war.[6] Fort Oglethorpe was a major training center for the Women's Army Corps during World War II. The post was declared surplus in 1947 and sold to civilians, forming the nucleus for a city that was incorporated in 1949.[7][8]

Fort Oglethorpe is located in western Catoosa County and northeastern Walker County at 34°56′44″N 85°14′44″W / 34.94556°N 85.24556°W / 34.94556; -85.24556 (34.945683, -85.245653).[9] It is 9 miles (14 km) south of Chattanooga, Tennessee, by U.S. Route 27, which also leads south 18 miles (29 km) to LaFayette, Georgia. The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park takes up the southern two-thirds of the city's area.

Enroll in the Best Vet Tech School near Oglethorpe GA

Oglethorpe GA vet tech holding dog Picking the appropriate veterinary technician school is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students considering veterinary technician schools need to make their decision based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included 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 choosing the right program, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Oglethorpe GA.