Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Alexandria LA

How to Enroll In a Vet Tech Program near Alexandria Louisiana

Alexandria LA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech program near Alexandria LA could initially feel like a daunting undertaking. After all, you must find and enroll in a program that will furnish the necessary training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach analyzing and comparing programs so that you can make the correct choice? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their residences. After they have found some area schools, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make a final selection. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the various roles of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

The Function of a Veterinary Technician in Alexandria LA

cat with cone after surgery in Alexandria LA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many jobs that they can perform within the Alexandria LA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed a formal 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 vets and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training in contrast to assistants and generally acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved duties, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. 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 job opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs 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 Alexandria LA labs or research facilities as well.

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in Alexandria

student attending online vet tech school in Alexandria LA An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are made available over the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Alexandria LA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, such as for travel and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom programs. Just make sure that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Alexandria LA Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Alexandria LA vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you would like to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Alexandria LA area and across the United States, you must ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s essential that you verify that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, 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 a demanding review process that ensures you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many 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 Alexandria LA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or trade school and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Louisiana school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Alexandria LA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the programs you are considering have internship programs established with Alexandria LA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections 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 college can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate might mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Alexandria LA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Alexandria LA colleges you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Okay, we already covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Alexandria LA home, you have to make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located close by or within a large city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinary schools 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 attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Alexandria LA. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family issues. You might find that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Alexandria LA?

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

Alexandria, Louisiana

Alexandria is the ninth-largest city in the state of Louisiana and is the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States.[3] It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area (population 153,922) which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes. Its neighboring city is Pineville. In 2010, the population was 47,723, an increase of 3 percent from the 2000 census.[4]

Located along the Red River, the city of Alexandria was originally home to a community which supported activities of the adjacent French trader outpost of Post du Rapides. The area developed as an assemblage of traders, Caddo people, and merchants in the agricultural lands bordering the mostly unsettled areas to the north and providing a link from the south to the El Camino Real and then larger settlement of Natchitoches, the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase.

Alexander Fulton, a businessman from Washington County, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, received a land grant from Spain in 1785, and the first organized settlement was made at some point in the 1790s. In 1805, Fulton and business partner Thomas Harris Maddox laid out the town plan and named the town in Fulton's honor. The earliest deed that survives for an Alexandria resident is from June 24, 1805 when a William Cochren, who identifies himself as a "of the Town of Alexandria", sold a tract of land across the Red River to a William Murrey.[5]

Enroll in the Right Veterinary Technician School near Alexandria LA

Alexandria LA vet tech holding dog Selecting the right vet tech school is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for animals. Students considering vet tech schools need to make their decision based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by selecting the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Alexandria LA.