Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Georgetown KY

How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician School near Georgetown Kentucky

Georgetown KY vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Georgetown KY could at first seem like a daunting undertaking. After all, you must find and enroll in a college that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach assessing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the proper choice? Many future students begin their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. When they have identified some local schools, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician schools you are evaluating before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in Georgetown KY

cat with cone after surgery in Georgetown KY Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want 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 devote to your education, but the main factor will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Georgetown KY veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, 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 vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complicated undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared to assistants and typically acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Georgetown

student attending online vet tech school in Georgetown KY An option that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Georgetown KY veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, such as for commuting and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online vet tech school may be the perfect choice for you.

Questions to Ask Georgetown KY Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Georgetown KY vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, 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 Georgetown KY area and across the United States, you need to ask some important 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 previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that ensures you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for a number of Georgetown KY area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or trade school and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement 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 concerning your specific schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Georgetown KY veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best way to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the colleges you are considering have internship programs set up with Georgetown KY veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate could mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Georgetown KY veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Georgetown KY schools you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. 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 Campus Located? Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Georgetown KY home, you have to make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Georgetown KY. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family issues. You might discover that an online school is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Georgetown KY?

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

Georgetown College

Georgetown College is a small, private, Christian liberal arts college in Georgetown, Kentucky. Chartered in 1829, Georgetown was the first Baptist college west of the Allegheny Mountains.[2][3] With a student-to-faculty ratio of 13 to 1, the college offers undergraduate degrees and a Master of Arts in education.

Georgetown College traces its roots to Royal Springs Academy, a classical school founded by Baptist minister Elijah Craig in Georgetown in 1787. The institution was renamed Rittenhouse Academy in 1798 as part of a land grant agreement. It was led by Barton Stone, a co-founder of the Stone Campbell Movement, from 1816 to 1819. The academy declined and closed by 1829.

In 1829, the Kentucky General Assembly chartered the Kentucky Baptist Education Society with the purpose of establishing a Baptist college in the state. 24 trustees under the leadership of Silas Noel selected the town of Georgetown as the site for the new school. Georgetown was selected because the community agreed to raise $20,000 and to donate the assets of the recently closed Rittenhouse Academy.[2]

Enroll in the Best Veterinary Technician Program near Georgetown KY

Georgetown KY vet tech holding dog Selecting the right vet tech college is a critical first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician colleges must make their decision based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech programs 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 choosing the right college, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Georgetown KY.