Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Big Clifty KY

How to Select a Veterinary Technician School near Big Clifty Kentucky

Big Clifty KY vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Big Clifty KY might initially feel like a daunting task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a college that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle assessing and comparing schools so that you can make the proper choice? Many future students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their residences. After they have located some nearby schools, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important concerns when assessing vet tech schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be evaluated also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are reviewing before you make a final choice. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the various roles of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Big Clifty KY

cat with cone after surgery in Big Clifty KY Among the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Big Clifty KY veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing 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. Generally they are not involved with more complex tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and usually acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years to complete. So the only real difference 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 potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Big Clifty

student attending online vet tech school in Big Clifty KY An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while going to veterinary school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Big Clifty KY veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for instance for travel and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just be 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 practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal option for you.

Questions to Ask Big Clifty KY Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Big Clifty KY vet tech schools By now you probably have selected which veterinarian credential that you wish to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Big Clifty KY area as well as across the USA, you need to ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s essential that you verify that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, 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 screening process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for many Big Clifty KY area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet vocational school or college and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Kentucky school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, call some Big Clifty KY veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs set up with Big Clifty KY veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A low rate may indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Big Clifty KY veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could 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 in size, you may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Big Clifty KY programs you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located? Okay, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Big Clifty KY 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s imperative that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Big Clifty KY. Others may 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 as a result of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online college is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Big Clifty KY?

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

Big Clifty, Kentucky

Clifty Creek crosses U.S. Highway 62 and the P & L railroad several miles to the southwest of Big Clifty. It is said that travelers named the town due to the limestone cliffs that arose on the sides of Clifty Creek. Accounts of residents from the past report that Big Clifty was a "boom town" that at one time had a post office, bank, feed mill, several dry goods stores and restaurants. The Ben Goodman school was the local "country school" and the town had numerous churches. In yesteryear nearby Clarkson was a tourist destination due to the numerous hotels near Grayson Springs, which were visited by guests who wished to experience the sulphur water's curative properties. Big Clifty benefited from the traffic going to Clarkson. Spurrier Mill was a grist mill on the Nolin River, several miles from Big Clifty which was a benefit to the economy. Like many rural Kentucky communities, as passenger rail-use decreased and transportation and commercial shipping routes changed, Big Clifty's boom town status disappeared.

Big Clifty is located in northeastern Grayson County along U.S. Route 62. It is 10 miles (16 km) north of Leitchfield, the county seat, and 21 miles (34 km) southwest of Elizabethtown. The Western Kentucky Parkway passes just southeast of Big Clifty, but the closest access points are at Clarkson, 5 miles (8 km) to the southwest, and near White Mills, 7 miles (11 km) to the northeast.

The town is on flat land. The surrounding terrain is flat to rolling with 20-to-40-foot (6.1 to 12.2 m) cliffs surrounding Petty Branch of Meeting Creek and Meeting Creek in the northeast. Clifty Creek runs to the west of Big Clifty with high ridges and cliffs surrounding it. The small community of St. Paul is west of Big Clifty, and the Rough River runs farther to the northwest of it. The geography around the Rough River is rugged with very high ridges and 40-to-60-foot (12 to 18 m) cliffs bordering the river in many areas.

Pick the Best Veterinary Technician School near Big Clifty KY

Big Clifty KY vet tech holding dog Selecting the right vet tech college is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into vet tech colleges must make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online programs 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 college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Big Clifty KY.