Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools East Chicago IN

How to Pick a Veterinary Technician Program near East Chicago Indiana

East Chicago IN vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong goal of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near East Chicago IN could at first seem like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you must locate and enroll in a college that will furnish the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the right selection? Many potential students start their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. After they have identified some area colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant considerations when assessing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in East Chicago IN

cat with cone after surgery in East Chicago IN One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary factor will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many tasks that they can perform within the East Chicago IN veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and usually obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years to complete. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Many may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in East Chicago IN labs or research facilities as well.

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered in East Chicago

student attending online vet tech school in East Chicago IN An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided via the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local East Chicago IN veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for instance for traveling and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online vet tech school may be the right option for you.

Things to Ask East Chicago IN Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask East Chicago IN vet tech schools At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary degree that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the East Chicago IN area and across the Country, you should ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough screening process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a requirement for employment for a number of East Chicago IN area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on online school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Indiana school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final tip, call some East Chicago IN vet clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs established with East Chicago IN veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate may mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the East Chicago IN vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the East Chicago IN programs you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to participate in some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your East Chicago IN home, you need to confirm that the driving 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, particularly if the school is located in or near a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s essential that you ascertain if the veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough 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 East Chicago IN. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to sickness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near East Chicago IN?

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

East Chicago, Indiana

The land that became East Chicago was originally swampland unsuitable for farming. The state of Indiana began selling off plots of land to railroads and speculators after 1851 to fund the local school system. Settlement of the area was very slow at first, and as late as the 1890s, the city had no proper streets or public utilities.[10] East Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1893. The city was named from its location east of Chicago, Illinois.[11]

The 1900 Census gives a total population of just 3,411, but the arrival of the Inland Steel Corporation in 1903 transformed the city into an industrial powerhouse. The city's population exploded to over 24,000 by 1910, powered by immigration from all over Europe and the United States, and quickly became the most industrialized city in the United States, with over 80% of the city's land zoned for heavy industry. The Inland Steel corporation would dominate the city's economy through the 1990s, and expanded its massive integrated mill at Indiana Harbor multiple times through the 1980s. From 60,000 tons of steel capacity in 1903, it expanded to 600,000 tons by 1914 and reached 1 million in 1917, and eventually peaked at 8.6 million tons in 1978.[12] By 1907, East Chicago boasted a navigable waterway link to Lake Michigan and to the Grand Calumet River: the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal. Steel mills, petroleum refineries, construction firms, and chemical factories operated at Indiana Harbor and along its inner canal system.[13]

Republic Steel, Youngstown Steel, LaSalle Steel, and U.S. Steel all eventually had steel-making operations in the city. During World War I, East Chicago was nicknamed the "Arsenal of America" (not to be confused with Detroit's label as the "Arsenal of Democracy" during WWII) and the "Workshop of America".[14]

Enroll in the Right Vet Tech College near East Chicago IN

East Chicago IN vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech school is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students considering veterinary technician schools need to make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right college, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in East Chicago IN.