Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Cold Spring KY

How to Pick a Vet Tech School near Cold Spring Kentucky

Cold Spring KY vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term aspiration of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Cold Spring KY may at first seem like a daunting task. After all, you must find and enroll in a school that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the correct selection? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their residences. When they have identified some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant factors when assessing vet technician schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech schools you are considering before you make an ultimate decision. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the different duties of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Cold Spring KY

cat with cone after surgery in Cold Spring KY Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. 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 factor will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many jobs that they can perform within the Cold Spring KY veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training requirements for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice 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 techs in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared with assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years. 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 job options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Some may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Cold Spring KY labs or research facilities also.

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Cold Spring

student attending online vet tech school in Cold Spring KY An option that might make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending vet school is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Cold Spring KY veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for instance for travel and study supplies, may be lower compared to more standard classroom courses. Just make certain that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect choice for you.

Questions to Ask Cold Spring KY Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Cold Spring KY vet tech schools By now you probably have determined which veterinary credential that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Cold Spring KY area as well as across the Country, you must ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s important that you make sure that the veterinary technician school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Cold Spring KY area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinary college or vocational school and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with online school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Kentucky school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Cold Spring KY veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best way to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs set up with Cold Spring KY veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop relationships in the local vet community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate could suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Cold Spring KY vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean 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 bigger, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Cold Spring KY colleges you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Cold Spring KY home, you must make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located in or close by a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you find out if the veterinary programs you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Cold Spring KY. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family issues. You may find that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Cold Spring KY?

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

Cold Spring, Kentucky

Cold Spring is a home rule-class city[2] in Campbell County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 5,912 at the 2010 census,[3] up from 3,806 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky metropolitan area.

Cold Spring is located in northern Campbell County at 39°0′50″N 84°26′0″W / 39.01389°N 84.43333°W / 39.01389; -84.43333 (39.013769, −84.433392).[4] It is bordered to the northwest by Wilder, to the north by Highland Heights, to the northeast by Crestview, to the southeast by Alexandria, and to the southwest by the Licking River, with the city of Taylor Mill in Kenton County on the other side.

U.S. Route 27 passes through Cold Spring as Alexandria Pike, leading northwest 8 miles (13 km) to downtown Cincinnati and southeast 5 miles (8 km) to Alexandria. Kentucky Route 9, a limited-access highway, also passes through Cold Spring, leading northwest to Newport across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, and southeast to Maysville and beyond.

Choose the Right Veterinary Technician School near Cold Spring KY

Cold Spring KY vet tech holding dog Selecting the right vet tech college is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students looking into vet tech schools must make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech schools 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 selecting the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Cold Spring KY.