Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Aberdeen Proving Ground MD

How to Enroll In a Veterinary Technician Program near Aberdeen Proving Ground Maryland

Aberdeen Proving Ground MD vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near Aberdeen Proving Ground MD may at first seem like a challenging endeavor. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a school that will provide the proper training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about reviewing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the best choice? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. Once they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are significant concerns when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered also. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician schools you are evaluating before you make a final decision. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Function of a Vet Tech in Aberdeen Proving Ground MD

cat with cone after surgery in Aberdeen Proving Ground MD Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous duties that they can perform within the Aberdeen Proving Ground MD veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice 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 vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared to assistants and normally earn a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complex activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes four years to complete. So the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Many may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Aberdeen Proving Ground MD labs or research facilities also.

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Aberdeen Proving Ground

student attending online vet tech school in Aberdeen Proving Ground MD An alternative that may be a solution for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered through the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using various methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many vet technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Aberdeen Proving Ground MD veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for traveling and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just be sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech school may be the perfect option for you.

Questions to Ask Aberdeen Proving Ground MD Vet Tech Schools

Questions to ask Aberdeen Proving Ground MD vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you would like to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Aberdeen Proving Ground MD area as well as across the United States, you need to ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to enroll in a program that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a requirement for employment for many Aberdeen Proving Ground MD area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The vet college or trade school and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Maryland school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final tip, contact some Aberdeen Proving Ground MD vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the schools you are considering have internship programs set up with Aberdeen Proving Ground MD veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate could mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Aberdeen Proving Ground MD vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could indicate 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, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Aberdeen Proving Ground MD programs you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Yes, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Aberdeen Proving Ground MD home, you need to make sure that the driving 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, particularly if the campus is located in or close by a large city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s essential that you find out if the veterinarian programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Aberdeen Proving Ground MD. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online school is the best solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Aberdeen Proving Ground MD?

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

Aberdeen Proving Ground

Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) (sometimes erroneously called Aberdeen Proving Grounds) is a United States Army facility located adjacent to Aberdeen, Maryland (in Harford County). Part of the facility is a census-designated place (CDP), which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census, and 2,093 at the 2010 census.

APG is the U.S. Army's oldest active proving ground, established on October 20, 1917, six months after the U.S. entered World War I.[1][2] Its location allowed design and testing of ordnance materiel to take place near contemporary industrial and shipping centers. The proving ground was created as a successor to the Sandy Hook Proving Ground, which was too small for some of the larger weapons being tested. At the peak of World War II, APG had billeting space for 2,348 officers and 24,189 enlisted personnel.

Although civilian contractors produced the major portion of conventional munitions for World War I, the United States government built federally owned plants on Aberdeen Proving Ground for the manufacture of toxic gas. These poison gas manufacturing facilities came to be known as Edgewood Arsenal. Edgewood Arsenal included plants to manufacture mustard gas, chloropicrin and phosgene, and separate facilities to fill artillery shells with these chemicals. Production began in 1918, reached 2,756 tons per month, and totaled 10,817 tons of toxic gas manufactured at Edgewood Arsenal before the November 1918 armistice. Some of this gas was shipped overseas for use in French and British artillery shells.[3]

Select the Right Veterinary Technician School near Aberdeen Proving Ground MD

Aberdeen Proving Ground MD vet tech holding dog Choosing the appropriate vet tech college is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students looking into vet tech programs must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent 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 narrow down your options so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Aberdeen Proving Ground MD.