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

How to Enroll In a Veterinary Technician Program near Kittery Maine

Kittery ME vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term aspiration of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Kittery ME may initially seem like a daunting task. After all, you must find and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about reviewing and contrasting schools so that you can make the proper choice? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are close to their homes. When they have located some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant factors when evaluating vet technician programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are reviewing before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in Kittery ME

cat with cone after surgery in Kittery ME One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary factor will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Kittery ME veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the conventional vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from 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 execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared with assistants and typically acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex functions, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years. So the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Kittery

student attending online vet tech school in Kittery ME An alternative that might make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while going to vet 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 multiple methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Kittery ME veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, for instance for commuting and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician program may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Kittery ME Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Kittery ME vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinary credential that you wish to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Kittery ME area and across the Country, you should ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s essential that you verify that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous screening process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a requirement for employment for a number of Kittery ME area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with internet school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Maine school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Kittery ME vet clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs established with Kittery ME veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate could mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the program has an excellent reputation within the Kittery ME veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Kittery ME schools you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Kittery ME home, you have to make sure 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 school is located near or in a large city. Also, 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 particularly for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s imperative that you find out if the veterinarian programs you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Kittery ME. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Kittery ME?

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

Kittery, Maine

Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals. The town is a tourist destination known for its many outlet stores.

Kittery is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The town's population was 9,490 at the 2010 census. Kittery may be the namesake of William Billings 1783 anthem "Kittery", which is printed in the Shenandoah Harmony and Missouri Harmony shape note tunebooks, but because the song was published after the incorporation of the town, this is debated.

English settlement around the natural harbor of the Piscataqua River estuary began about 1623. By 1632 it was protected by Fort William and Mary on today's New Hampshire side of the river; in 1689 defensive works that later became Fort McClary in Kittery Point were added on today's Maine side to the north.

Select the Ideal Veterinary Technician School near Kittery ME

Kittery ME vet tech holding dog Picking the ideal vet tech program is an important first step to starting a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students considering vet tech colleges need to make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Kittery ME.