Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Highland Park MI

How to Pick a Veterinary Technician Program near Highland Park Michigan

Highland Park MI vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near Highland Park MI might at first seem like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about assessing and comparing programs so that you can make the best choice? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for schools that are close to their residences. Once they have found some nearby colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important factors when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be considered also. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech schools you are reviewing before you make a final decision. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Highland Park MI

cat with cone after surgery in Highland Park MI One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main determiner will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Highland Park MI veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the conventional veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training in contrast to assistants and generally acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are included in more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 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 potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. A number may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Highland Park MI laboratories or research facilities also.

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in Highland Park

student attending online vet tech school in Highland Park MI An approach that might be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while going to veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered by means of the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Highland Park MI veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for instance for traveling and study supplies, may be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician program may be the right choice for you.

What to Ask Highland Park MI Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Highland Park MI vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you would like to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Highland Park MI area and across the Country, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, 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 ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Highland Park MI area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Michigan school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Highland Park MI veterinarians that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective way to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Highland Park MI veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate may mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Highland Park MI veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Highland Park MI programs you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Highland Park MI home, you have to confirm that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located close by or within a large city. Also, if you do choose 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. On the other hand, attending classes online may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s essential that you find out if the veterinary schools you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Highland Park MI. Some might only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Highland Park MI?

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

Highland Park, Michigan

Highland Park is a city in Wayne County in the State of Michigan, within Metro Detroit. The population was 11,776 at the 2010 census. The city is completely surrounded by Detroit except for a small portion that touches the city of Hamtramck, which is also surrounded by Detroit.

The area that was to become Highland Park began as a small farming community, on a large ridge located at what is now Woodward Avenue and Highland, six miles (9.7 km) north of Detroit. In 1818, prominent Detroit judge Augustus B. Woodward bought the ridge, and platted the village of Woodwardville in 1825. The development of the village failed. Another Detroit judge, Benjamin F. H. Witherell, son of Michigan Supreme Court justice James Witherell, attempted to found a village platted as Cassandra on this site in 1836, but this plan also failed.[5]

By 1860, the settlement was given a post office under the name of Whitewood. After a succession of closures and reopenings of the rural post office, the settlement was finally incorporated as a village within Greenfield Township and Hamtramck Township under the name of Highland Park in 1889.[6]

Pick the Best Veterinary Technician College near Highland Park MI

Highland Park MI vet tech holding dog Picking the appropriate veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about vet tech programs need to make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Highland Park MI.