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How to Choose a Veterinary Technician Program near Stratham New Hampshire

Stratham NH vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Stratham NH might initially seem like an overwhelming task. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will furnish the necessary training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach analyzing and comparing colleges so that you can make the best selection? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are close to their homes. After they have identified some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are significant considerations when evaluating vet technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are evaluating before you make a final decision. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Job of a Vet Tech in Stratham NH

cat with cone after surgery in Stratham NH One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the primary determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous functions that they can perform within the Stratham NH veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing 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 tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared with assistants and normally acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years. 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 career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in Stratham

student attending online vet tech school in Stratham NH An option that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided over the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Stratham NH veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, for instance for travel and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make sure that the online school that you choose 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 independent manner, an online vet tech school may be the perfect choice for you.

Questions to Ask Stratham NH Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Stratham NH vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you would like to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Stratham NH area and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s essential that you confirm that the veterinary technician college 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 gone through a thorough screening process that ensures you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Stratham NH area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the New Hampshire school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Stratham NH veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Stratham NH veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate might suggest that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Stratham NH veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not well thought of 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 may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Stratham NH colleges you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Stratham NH home, you have to make certain 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 commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or near a large 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 higher tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes may 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 essential that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are evaluating 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 in the evenings near Stratham NH. Others might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Stratham NH?

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

Stratham, New Hampshire

Stratham is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town had a population of 7,255 at the 2010 census,[1] and an estimated population of 7,280 in 2013.[2] It is bounded on the west by the Squamscott River. The town is the home of the only U.S. Lindt & Sprüngli factory and the headquarters of the Timberland Corporation.

Stratham was settled in 1631 and incorporated in 1716. The area, called Winnicutt by the Pennacook Indians, was known as Squamscott Patent or Point of Rocks because of its location between Great Bay and the Squamscott River. The sixth town in the colony to be incorporated, the town was named for Wriothesley Russell, Baron Howland of Streatham, a friend of New Hampshire Royal Governor Samuel Shute.[3]

The town is unusual among New England settlements of its size in having been comprehensively mapped in 1793 by Phinehas Merrill. It is therefore possible to identify how many of the extant buildings of the town predate the map.

Pick the Ideal Vet Tech Program near Stratham NH

Stratham NH vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech school is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students considering vet tech programs must make their decision based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. 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 reduce your options so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the ideal college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Stratham NH.