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How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician Program near Lowell Massachusetts

Lowell MA vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term aspiration of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech school near Lowell MA may at first seem like a daunting task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a college that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach analyzing and comparing colleges so that you can make the proper choice? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are close to their homes. After they have found some area schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important factors when comparing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated also. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are reviewing before you make a final choice. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

The Job of a Vet Tech in Lowell MA

cat with cone after surgery in Lowell MA One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main factor 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 direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many functions that they can carry out within the Lowell MA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and typically earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. A number may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Lowell MA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered in Lowell

student attending online vet tech school in Lowell MA An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while going to veterinary school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided via the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using several methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Lowell MA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for example for commuting and study materials, can be lower compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech school may be the right option for you.

Things to Ask Lowell MA Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Lowell MA vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinary degree that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Lowell MA area as well as across the USA, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s essential that you verify that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough screening process that confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Lowell MA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you enroll in should have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on online school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Massachusetts school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final suggestion, call some Lowell MA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs established with Lowell MA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered? 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 schools you are evaluating. A low rate could indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied 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 indicate that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Lowell MA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Lowell MA schools you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Lowell MA home, you have to make certain that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, 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 close by a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s imperative that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Lowell MA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Lowell MA?

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

Lowell, Massachusetts

Lowell is a city in the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Located in Middlesex County, Lowell (along with Cambridge) was a county seat until Massachusetts disbanded county government in 1999.[3] With an estimated population of 109,945 in 2014,[4] it is the fourth-largest city in Massachusetts, and the second-largest in the Boston metropolitan statistical area.[5] The city is also part of a smaller Massachusetts statistical area called Greater Lowell, as well as New England's Merrimack Valley region.

Incorporated in 1826 to serve as a mill town, Lowell was named after Francis Cabot Lowell, a local figure in the Industrial Revolution. The city became known as the cradle of the American Industrial Revolution, due to a large series of textile mills and factories. Many of the Lowell's historic manufacturing sites were later preserved by the National Park Service to create Lowell National Historical Park.[6] During the Cambodian genocide, the city took in an influx of refugees, leading to a Cambodia Town and America's second-largest Cambodian-American population.[7]

Founded in the 1820s as a planned manufacturing center for textiles, Lowell is located along the rapids of the Merrimack River, 25 miles northwest of Boston in what was once the farming community of East Chelmsford, Massachusetts. The so-called Boston Associates, including Nathan Appleton and Patrick Tracy Jackson of the Boston Manufacturing Company, named the new mill town after their visionary leader, Francis Cabot Lowell,[8] who had died five years before its 1823 incorporation. As Lowell's population grew, it acquired land from neighboring towns, and diversified into a full-fledged urban center. Many of the men who composed the labor force for constructing the canals and factories had immigrated from Ireland, escaping the poverty and Potato Famines of the 1830s and 1840s. The mill workers, young single women called Mill Girls, generally came from the farm families of New England.

Pick the Right Veterinary Technician Program near Lowell MA

Lowell MA vet tech holding dog Choosing the right vet tech college is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students considering vet tech schools need to make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you enroll in 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 provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Lowell MA.