How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician School near Canton Massachusetts

Fulfilling your lifelong goal of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Canton MA may initially feel like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you need to find and enroll in a school that will furnish the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the right choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their residences. Once they have located some area schools, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when evaluating vet technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are looking at before you make an ultimate choice. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training options available.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in Canton MA 

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you desire 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 principal determiner will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of duties that they can perform within the Canton MA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, for example 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 the majority of cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice 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 complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training in contrast to assistants and usually acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and essentially perform the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in Canton

An option that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered through 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 many vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Canton MA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for example for travel and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the right choice for you.

Things to Ask Canton MA Veterinary Technician Colleges

At this point you should have decided on which veterinary degree 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, vocational and trade schools in the Canton MA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It’s imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, 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 obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Canton MA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Massachusetts school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final tip, get in touch with some Canton MA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Canton MA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help establish relationships in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate could mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the program has an excellent reputation within the Canton MA veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you may get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Canton MA programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few 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 teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to 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 Canton MA home, you must make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in 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 online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it’s imperative that you find out if the vet programs you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible 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 Canton MA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You may find that an online program is the best way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Canton MA?

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

Pick the Ideal Veterinary Technician School near Canton MA

Enrolling in the appropriate veterinary technician college is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech colleges need to make their decision based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the ideal program, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Canton MA.

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