Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Hodgenville KY

How to Pick a Vet Tech School near Hodgenville Kentucky

Hodgenville KY vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your lifelong goal of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Hodgenville KY might initially feel like a challenging endeavor. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a program that will furnish the proper training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about reviewing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the proper selection? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their residences. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important factors when assessing vet tech programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be considered also. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician programs you are reviewing before you make a final decision. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the varied duties of vet techs and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Hodgenville KY

cat with cone after surgery in Hodgenville KY Among the first decisions that you will have to make is if 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 devote to your education, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are many duties that they can carry out within the Hodgenville KY veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complicated 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 pets during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared to assistants and normally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more involved activities, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Hodgenville KY laboratories or research facilities also.

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in Hodgenville

student attending online vet tech school in Hodgenville KY An option that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered via the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using several methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Hodgenville KY veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, for example for travel and study supplies, can be lower compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online vet tech program may be the right choice for you.

Things to Ask Hodgenville KY Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Hodgenville KY vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Hodgenville KY area and across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other significant qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s essential that you confirm that the vet tech college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a rigorous screening process that verifies you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a requirement for employment for many Hodgenville KY area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet vocational school or college and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers 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 infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final pointer, call some Hodgenville KY veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Hodgenville KY veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate might mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may signify that the program has an excellent reputation within the Hodgenville KY veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could mean 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 larger in size, you may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Hodgenville KY programs you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Hodgenville KY home, you need to confirm that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s essential that you determine if the veterinarian colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Hodgenville KY. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family responsibilities. You may find that an online school is the best solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Hodgenville KY?

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

Hodgenville, Kentucky

Hodgenville is a home rule-class city[2] in LaRue County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county.[3] Hodgenville sits along the North Fork of the Nolin River. The population was 3,206 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Elizabethtown metropolitan area.

Robert Hodgen, a Pennsylvania native who moved to Virginia, purchased 10,000 acres of land in the vicinity. In 1789, after the American Revolutionary War, when settlers started moving west into Kentucky, he built a mill at the site. After his death, the community that developed around it was called Hodgenville upon the petition of his widow and children. The United States post office at the site, however, was known as Hodgensville from 1826 to 1904.[4]

Abraham Lincoln was born in a small cabin on Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville on February 12, 1809.[6] About two years later, the family moved to another farm in the Hodgenville area.[7] Despite claims made later, the cabin Lincoln was born in was likely destroyed by the time of his assassination.

Pick the Right Vet Tech College near Hodgenville KY

Hodgenville KY vet tech holding dog Picking the right veterinary technician college is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students thinking about veterinary technician programs need to 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 usually handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best college, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Hodgenville KY.