Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Whitefield ME

How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician Program near Whitefield Maine

Whitefield ME vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Whitefield ME may initially seem like a challenging undertaking. After all, you must locate and enroll in a program that will provide the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle evaluating and comparing colleges so that you can make the right selection? Many future students start their due diligence process by searching for schools that are close to their homes. When they have identified some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important factors when comparing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech schools you are considering before you make a final selection. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Function of a Veterinary Technician in Whitefield ME

cat with cone after surgery in Whitefield ME Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are many jobs that they can perform within the Whitefield ME veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved activities, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty 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 tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially perform the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the main 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 options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in Whitefield

student attending online vet tech school in Whitefield ME An approach that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while going to veterinarian college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are offered over the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Whitefield ME veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for example for travel and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just make certain that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online vet tech program may be the right option for you.

What to Ask Whitefield ME Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Whitefield ME vet tech schools At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary credential that you would like to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Whitefield ME area and across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s imperative that you make sure that the vet tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, 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 review process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Whitefield ME area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers 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 relating to your specific schools. As a final tip, call some Whitefield ME vet clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Whitefield ME veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most 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 may also help establish relationships in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate might indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Whitefield ME veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean that the training is not highly 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 larger in size, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Whitefield ME programs you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Whitefield ME home, you must make certain 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, especially if the college is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college 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 taking classes online might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinary schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Whitefield ME. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online college is the best way to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Whitefield ME?

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

Whitefield, Maine

Whitefield is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,300 at the 2010 census. Whitefield is named for the celebrated British evangelist George Whitefield, who inspired the colonists before the town was settled in 1770, mainly by Irish Catholics.[4] They remembered him when incorporation came in 1809. Whitefield is included in the Augusta, Maine micropolitan New England City and Town Area.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 47.51 square miles (123.05 km2), of which, 46.82 square miles (121.26 km2) of it is land and 0.69 square miles (1.79 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,300 people, 917 households, and 643 families residing in the town. The population density was 49.1 inhabitants per square mile (19.0/km2). There were 1,055 housing units at an average density of 22.5 per square mile (8.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.8% White, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.

Pick the Ideal Veterinary Technician College near Whitefield ME

Whitefield ME vet tech holding dog Selecting the appropriate vet tech college is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into vet tech colleges need to make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Whitefield ME.