Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools New Castle KY

How to Pick a Veterinary Technician School near New Castle Kentucky

New Castle KY vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near New Castle KY may initially feel like a daunting task. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a program that will provide the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle assessing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the best choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. Once they have located some local schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant factors when assessing vet technician programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be considered also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are reviewing before you make a final choice. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in New Castle KY

cat with cone after surgery in New Castle KY One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialty 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 many functions that they can carry out within the New Castle KY veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the duties and training requirements for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training in contrast to assistants and typically acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated 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. A number may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in New Castle KY laboratories or research facilities also.

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in New Castle

student attending online vet tech school in New Castle KY An option that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered by means of the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using multiple methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local New Castle KY veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, for example for commuting and study materials, may be lower compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make sure that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online veterinary technician program may be the right choice for you.

What to Ask New Castle KY Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask New Castle KY vet tech schools At this point you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you would like to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the New Castle KY area as well as across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s important that you verify that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive review process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a requirement for employment for many New Castle KY area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating 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 relating to your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, phone some New Castle KY vet clinics that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the colleges you are considering have internship programs arranged with New Castle KY veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local vet community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A lower rate could signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the New Castle KY veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could mean that the training is not well 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 one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the New Castle KY colleges you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Yes, we previously discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your New Castle KY home, you have to confirm 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 commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online might be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinary programs you are considering 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 in the evenings near New Castle KY. Some might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family issues. You may find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near New Castle KY?

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

New Castle, Kentucky

New Castle is located southwest of the center of Henry County at 38°26′1″N 85°10′10″W / 38.43361°N 85.16944°W / 38.43361; -85.16944 (38.433645, -85.169345).[6]U.S. Route 421 follows Main Street and leads north 7 miles (11 km) to Campbellsburg and southeast 29 miles (47 km) to Frankfort. Louisville is 38 miles (61 km) to the southwest via Kentucky Route 146 and Interstate 71.

At the census[8] of 2000, there were 919 people, 382 households, and 239 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,067.0 people per square mile (806.4/km²). There were 409 housing units at an average density of 919.9 per square mile (358.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.60% White, 5.77% Black or African American, 0.98% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.

There were 382 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 17.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.86.

Pick the Best Veterinary Technician College near New Castle KY

New Castle KY vet tech holding dog Selecting the right vet tech program is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online schools 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 decision. And by picking the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in New Castle KY.