Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Durham ME - Find Vet Tech Schools Near You

How to Choose a Vet Tech School near Durham Maine

Durham ME vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Durham ME could initially feel like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you have to find and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle analyzing and contrasting schools so that you can make the ideal choice? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their homes. Once they have identified some area colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when evaluating vet technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs need to be looked into as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician schools you are reviewing before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Function of a Vet Tech in Durham ME

cat with cone after surgery in Durham ME One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the main determiner will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many duties that they can carry out within the Durham ME veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared to assistants and usually obtain a 2 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 general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires four years. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Durham

student attending online vet tech school in Durham ME An approach that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinarian school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Durham ME veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for commuting and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech program may be the perfect option for you.

Things to Ask Durham ME Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Durham ME vet tech schools By now you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you would like to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Durham ME area as well as across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to enroll in a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s important that you make sure that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous screening process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Durham ME area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Maine school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final tip, phone some Durham ME veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best means to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs set up with Durham ME veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish relationships in the local vet community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A lower rate may indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were unhappy 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 might mean that the college has an excellent reputation within the Durham ME vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Durham ME schools you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine 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 subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Durham ME home, you must make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s imperative that you find out if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Durham ME. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss because of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Durham ME?

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

Durham, Maine

Durham is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,848 at the 2010 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England City and Town Area.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 39.04 square miles (101.11 km2), of which 38.28 square miles (99.14 km2) is land and 0.76 square miles (1.97 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 3,848 people, 1,496 households, and 1,143 families residing in the town. The population density was 100.5 inhabitants per square mile (38.8/km2). There were 1,548 housing units at an average density of 40.4 per square mile (15.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.8% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.

Enroll in the Best Vet Tech College near Durham ME

Durham ME vet tech holding dog Selecting the ideal vet tech college is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for animals. Students thinking about vet tech colleges need to make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the ideal college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Durham ME.