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How to Find the Right Vet Tech Program near Bowdoin Maine

Bowdoin ME vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term goal of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Bowdoin ME could at first seem like a daunting undertaking. After all, you must locate and enroll in a program that will furnish the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about analyzing and contrasting schools so that you can make the right choice? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. Once they have identified some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant considerations when assessing vet technician programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are reviewing before you make a final decision. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the various roles of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Bowdoin ME

cat with cone after surgery in Bowdoin ME Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you desire 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 devote to your training, but the principal factor will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the Bowdoin ME veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the typical vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing 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. Generally they are not involved with more complicated undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years. So the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Bowdoin ME labs or research facilities also.

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Bowdoin

student attending online vet tech school in Bowdoin ME An option that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are provided over the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The educational program is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Bowdoin ME veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, for example for commuting and study supplies, may be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school 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 included for a complete 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 Bowdoin ME Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Bowdoin ME vet tech schools At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary degree 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 veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Bowdoin ME area and across the Country, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, among 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 confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Bowdoin ME area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with online school rating websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Maine school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final tip, phone some Bowdoin ME vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best way to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with Bowdoin ME veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local vet community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate could indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Bowdoin ME veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Bowdoin ME programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we already covered location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Bowdoin ME home, you have 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, particularly if the college is located close by or within a larger city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinarian programs you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit 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 Bowdoin ME. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Bowdoin ME?

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

Bowdoin College

Bowdoin College (/ˈboʊdɪn/ ( listen) BOH-din) is a private liberal arts college located in Brunswick, Maine. At the time Bowdoin was chartered in 1794, Maine was still a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college offers 33 majors and four additional minors, as well as several joint engineering programs with Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Caltech and The University of Maine[4]

The college was a founding member of its athletic conference, the New England Small College Athletic Conference, and the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium, an athletic conference and inter-library exchange with Bates and Colby College. Bowdoin has over 30 varsity teams and the school mascot was selected as a polar bear in 1913 to honor Robert Peary, a Bowdoin alumnus who led the first successful expedition to the north pole.[5] Between the years 1821 and 1921, Bowdoin operated a medical school called the Medical School of Maine.[6]

The main Bowdoin campus is located near Casco Bay and the Androscoggin River. In addition to its Brunswick campus, Bowdoin also owns a 118-acre coastal studies center on Orr's Island[7] and a 200-acre scientific field station on Kent Island in the Bay of Fundy.[8] In 2017, the college was ranked as third-best liberal arts college in the country by U.S. News & World Report.[9]

Pick the Ideal Veterinary Technician School near Bowdoin ME

Bowdoin ME vet tech holding dog Picking the right vet tech school is an important first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students looking into vet tech schools need to make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives 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 Bowdoin ME.