Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools West Boothbay Harbor ME

How to Find the Right Vet Tech School near West Boothbay Harbor Maine

West Boothbay Harbor ME vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near West Boothbay Harbor ME might at first seem like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you must locate and enroll in a program that will deliver the appropriate training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle analyzing and contrasting programs so that you can make the best choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their residences. When they have found some local schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are looking at before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the various responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Job of a Vet Tech in West Boothbay Harbor ME

cat with cone after surgery in West Boothbay Harbor ME One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many jobs that they can carry out within the West Boothbay Harbor ME veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing 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 execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with assistants and generally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complex functions, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes four years. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Many may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in West Boothbay Harbor ME laboratories or research facilities also.

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in West Boothbay Harbor

student attending online vet tech school in West Boothbay Harbor ME An alternative that may make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are offered via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using various methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local West Boothbay Harbor ME veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for instance for traveling and study materials, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech program may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask West Boothbay Harbor ME Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask West Boothbay Harbor ME vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinary credential that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the West Boothbay Harbor ME area and across the United States, you should ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other important qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to select a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s essential that you verify that the veterinary technician college you choose 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 undergone a rigorous screening process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is in many cases a precondition for employment for many West Boothbay Harbor ME area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinarian trade school or college and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Maine school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final tip, call some West Boothbay Harbor ME veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with West Boothbay Harbor ME veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop relationships in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program 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 teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the program has an excellent reputation within the West Boothbay Harbor ME veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the West Boothbay Harbor ME schools you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students concerning 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? Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your West Boothbay Harbor ME home, you have to make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or near a larger 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 charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s important that you find out if the vet colleges you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near West Boothbay Harbor ME. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, sickness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near West Boothbay Harbor ME?

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

Boothbay, Maine

Boothbay is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,120 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of East Boothbay and Trevett. The Boothbay region is a center of summer tourist activity, and a significant part of its population does not live there year-round.[4] Five shipyards are located in the town, the largest of which is Washburn & Doughty.[5]

The first European presence was a British fishing station on Cape Newagen in 1623. By the 1630s, there were a few families. Henry Curtis purchased from the sachem Mowhotiwormet (commonly known as Chief Robinhood) the right to settle here in 1666. The inhabitants fled in 1676 during King Philip's War and returned in 1677. In 1689 during King William's War, they were driven out again, and the village remained a desolate waste for 40 years.[6]

Colonel David Dunbar, governor of the Territory of Sagadahock, laid out a town in 1730 known as Townsend, and convinced about 40 families of Scots-Irish Presbyterians, largely from the north of Ireland, to settle here. Some were veterans of the Revolution of 1688. Named for Lord Charles Townshend, this settlement survived and was incorporated November 3, 1764. It was renamed Boothbay in 1842 after the hamlet of Boothby, which is located about a mile east of Welton le Marsh in Lincolnshire, England.[7]Southport was set off in 1842 and incorporated as a town, followed in 1889 by Boothbay Harbor.[8]

Pick the Best Vet Tech School near West Boothbay Harbor ME

West Boothbay Harbor ME vet tech holding dog Selecting the ideal vet tech college is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career providing care and treatment for animals. Future students considering vet tech colleges need to make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you decide on 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 reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the ideal school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in West Boothbay Harbor ME.