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How to Select a Vet Tech School near Standish Maine

Standish ME vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Standish ME might initially seem like a challenging endeavor. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a college that will furnish the necessary training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle reviewing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the best selection? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for schools that are close to their homes. After they have located some local colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant factors when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be looked into also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make a final decision. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the different roles of vet techs and the training options available.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Standish ME

cat with cone after surgery in Standish ME Among 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 preference might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can perform within the Standish ME veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases 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 vocational 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 complex tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training in contrast to assistants and generally acquire 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 basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated functions, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years. Therefore 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 work options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered in Standish

student attending online vet tech school in Standish ME An approach that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are provided via the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Standish ME veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for instance for travel and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom programs. Just be sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect option for you.

Questions to Ask Standish ME Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Standish ME vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you wish to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Standish ME area and across the United States, you should ask some important questions to help 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 important qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to enroll in a college that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for a number of Standish ME area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or trade school and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Maine school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your targeted schools. As a final pointer, contact some Standish ME vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs established with Standish ME veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Searching for 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 colleges you are reviewing. A low rate might indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the school has an excellent reputation within the Standish ME veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Standish ME colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Okay, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Standish ME home, you have to confirm that the driving time is compatible with 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 near or in a larger city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s essential that you determine if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Standish ME. Some might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Standish ME?

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

Standish, Maine

Standish is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 10,139 at the 2015 census.[4] It includes the villages of Standish Corner, Sebago Lake Village and Steep Falls, and the localities known as Richville, Standish Neck and Two Trails. Standish is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

This was once hunting and fishing territory of the Abenaki tribe, whose main village was at Pequawket (now Fryeburg) up the Pequawket Trail (now Route 113). In 1750, the Massachusetts General Court granted the township to Captain Moses Pearson and Captain Humphrey Hobbs, together with their respective companies, for services during the French and Indian Wars.[5]

It was to be called Pearson and Hobbs Town, but Hobbs died and none of his company took possession. In 1752, the land was surveyed and divided into 30-acre (120,000 m2) lots, although some soldiers sold their rights for whatever they could get. Those that did settle found their cabins razed by Indians trying to drive them away. In response, the veterans built at Standish Corner a stockaded fort, which provided protection until Indian hostilities ceased in 1759 with the Fall of Quebec. Pearsontown Plantation was incorporated as Standish on November 30, 1785.[6][7] The town is named in honor of Captain Myles Standish.[7]

Pick the Ideal Veterinary Technician Program near Standish ME

Standish ME vet tech holding dog Picking the appropriate veterinary technician program is a critical first step to beginning a gratifying career providing care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Standish ME.