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How to Choose a Veterinary Technician Program near Hanover New Hampshire

Hanover NH vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term aspiration of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Hanover NH may at first seem like a daunting task. After all, you must search for and enroll in a college that will deliver the proper training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about analyzing and comparing schools so that you can make the best selection? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their homes. After they have identified some local colleges, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered also. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make a final decision. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Hanover NH

cat with cone after surgery in Hanover NH One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the main 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 direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of jobs that they can perform within the Hanover NH veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training in contrast to assistants and usually obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Some may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Hanover NH labs or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Hanover

student attending online vet tech school in Hanover NH An approach that may make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while attending vet school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered by means of the internet, students can attend 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 veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Hanover NH veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for instance for traveling and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make certain that the program that you choose 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 complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal choice for you.

What to Ask Hanover NH Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Hanover NH vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinary credential that you would like to earn, 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 Hanover NH area as well as across the United States, you should ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Hanover NH area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the New Hampshire school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations involving your specific schools. As a final suggestion, call some Hanover NH vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Hanover NH veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate may suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Hanover NH vet 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 ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Hanover NH programs you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Okay, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Hanover NH home, you have to make certain that the driving time is compatible with 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, especially if the school is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s essential that you find out if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Hanover NH. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of sickness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Hanover NH?

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

Hanover, New Hampshire

Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census.[1]CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011,[2] and the second best in 2007.[3] "This just might be the best college town," read the headline of a story in the January–February 2017 issue of Yankee.[4]

The main village of the town, where 8,636 people resided at the 2010 census,[5] is defined as the Hanover census-designated place (CDP), and is located at the junctions of New Hampshire routes 10, 10A, and 120. The town also contains the villages of Etna and Hanover Center.

Hanover was chartered by Governor Benning Wentworth on July 4, 1761, and in 1765–1766 its first European inhabitants arrived, the majority from Connecticut. Although the surface is uneven, the town developed into an agricultural community. Dartmouth College was established in 1769 beside the Common at a village called "the Plain"—an extensive and level tract of land a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the Connecticut River, and about 150 feet (46 m) above it.[6]

Pick the Right Veterinary Technician College near Hanover NH

Hanover NH vet tech holding dog Choosing the appropriate vet tech school is an important first step to starting a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students considering veterinary technician programs must make their decision based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech schools 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 choice. And by picking the ideal college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Hanover NH.