How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician School near Burlington Maine
Achieving your long term aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near Burlington ME could at first seem like a daunting undertaking. After all, you must search for and enroll in a college that will provide the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you can make the ideal selection? Many future students begin their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their homes. Once they have located some local colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when comparing vet tech schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be looked into also. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician schools you are evaluating before you make a final decision. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the various duties of veterinary technicians and the training options available.
The Function of a Vet Tech in Burlington ME
One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you plan to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary factor will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Burlington ME veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each specialty.
- Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern 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 performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
- Vet Technicians go through more advanced training in contrast to assistants and typically earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years. So the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Burlington ME laboratories or research facilities also.
Vet Tech Online Programs Offered in Burlington
An approach that may make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Burlington ME veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for example for travel and study materials, can be lower compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just confirm that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.
Questions to Ask Burlington ME Veterinary Technician Schools
At this point you should have determined which veterinary credential that you want to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Burlington ME area as well as across the United States, you must ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.
Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s essential that you verify that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a prerequisite for employment for many Burlington ME area vet practices and hospitals.
What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you enroll in should have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on internet school rating websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Maine school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Burlington ME vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The best means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs established with Burlington ME veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a position after graduation.
Is Job Assistance Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate might mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Burlington ME vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Burlington ME colleges you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the School Located? Of course, we already talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Burlington ME home, you need to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located in or close by a large city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s essential that you determine if the vet colleges you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Burlington ME. Some may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, sickness or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online college is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.
Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Burlington ME?
If you have decided to attend a Veterinary Technician Program in the Burlington Maine area, then you may find the following information about the location of your school campus interesting and informing.
Burlington, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 56.25 square miles (145.69 km2), of which, 54.01 square miles (139.89 km2) of it is land and 2.24 square miles (5.80 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 363 people, 166 households, and 106 families residing in the town. The population density was 6.7 inhabitants per square mile (2.6/km2). There were 410 housing units at an average density of 7.6 per square mile (2.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 99.4% White, 0.3% Asian, and 0.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.
There were 166 households of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.61.
Pick the Best Veterinary Technician School near Burlington ME
Picking the right vet tech school is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career providing care and treatment for animals. Potential students looking into veterinary technician programs must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online schools 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 selection. And by picking the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Burlington ME.
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