Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools La Fayette KY

How to Enroll In a Veterinary Technician Program near La Fayette Kentucky

La Fayette KY vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your lifelong aspiration of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech program near La Fayette KY might at first feel like an overwhelming task. After all, you must locate and enroll in a program that will provide the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach analyzing and comparing programs so that you can make the proper selection? Many future students begin their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. When they have found some area colleges, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important factors when evaluating vet technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician schools you are considering before you make an ultimate choice. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll talk about the different roles of vet techs and the training options available.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in La Fayette KY

cat with cone after surgery in La Fayette KY One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the main determiner will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous tasks that they can perform within the La Fayette KY veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and typically acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated duties, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part perform the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years. So the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists may 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 La Fayette KY laboratories or research facilities as well.

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in La Fayette

student attending online vet tech school in La Fayette KY An option that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local La Fayette KY veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, such as for traveling and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal choice for you.

What to Ask La Fayette KY Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask La Fayette KY vet tech schools At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the La Fayette KY area and across the United States, you should ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, one of 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 obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is frequently a precondition for employment for many La Fayette KY area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinarian trade school or college and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on online school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Kentucky school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some La Fayette KY veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with La Fayette KY veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate might signify that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the La Fayette KY veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the La Fayette KY schools you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Of course, we already talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your La Fayette KY home, you need to confirm 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, especially if the school is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinarian schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near La Fayette KY. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family issues. You may discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near La Fayette KY?

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

Fayette County, Kentucky

Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 295,803,[1] making it the second-most populous county in the commonwealth. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as the county seat.[2]

Fayette County—originally Fayette County, Virginia—was established by the Virginia General Assembly in June 1780, when it abolished and subdivided Kentucky County into three counties: Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln. Together, these counties and those set off from them later in that decade separated from Virginia in 1792 to become the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Originally, Fayette County included land which makes up 37 present-day counties and parts of 7 others. It was reduced to its present boundaries in 1799. The county is named for the Marquis de LaFayette, who came to America to support the rebelling English colonies in the American Revolutionary War.[3][4]

Enroll in the Ideal Veterinary Technician College near La Fayette KY

La Fayette KY vet tech holding dog Choosing the right vet tech school is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students looking into veterinary technician schools need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in La Fayette KY.