Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Florham Park NJ

How to Choose a Veterinary Technician School near Florham Park New Jersey

Florham Park NJ vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Florham Park NJ might initially feel like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you must search for and enroll in a program that will provide the proper training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about evaluating and contrasting programs so that you can make the correct selection? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their residences. Once they have identified some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important factors when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician schools you are looking at before you make an ultimate choice. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Florham Park NJ

cat with cone after surgery in Florham Park NJ One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many tasks that they can perform within the Florham Park NJ veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more involved tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 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 job opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. A number may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Florham Park NJ labs or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Florham Park

student attending online vet tech school in Florham Park NJ An approach that might be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Florham Park NJ veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, for example for commuting and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the program 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 included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal choice for you.

Things to Ask Florham Park NJ Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Florham Park NJ vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinary credential that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Florham Park NJ area and across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already mentioned other significant qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s essential that you confirm that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough review process that confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Florham Park NJ area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The vet vocational school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the New Jersey school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Florham Park NJ veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend some schools 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 environment. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs established with Florham Park NJ veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide 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? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate might indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Florham Park NJ veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Florham Park NJ programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Of course, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Florham Park NJ home, you have to make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s important that you ascertain if the vet programs you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Florham Park NJ. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online school is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Florham Park NJ?

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

Florham Park, New Jersey

Florham Park is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 11,696,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 2,839 (+32.1%) from the 8,857 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 336 (+3.9%) from the 8,521 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]

The National Football League's New York Jets relocated their main headquarters in 2008 to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, located in Florham Park. The Jets relocated to Florham Park from their old facilities at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. The team holds its day-to-day operations during the year in Florham Park, while relocating during July and August to Cortland, NY for training camp. Florham Park beat out Berkeley Heights, Jersey City, Millburn, South Amboy, and Wood-Ridge, which had all been finalists contending to be the host of the new facility.[23]

The area that is now Florham Park was first settled by the English sometime between 1680 and 1700, and the community was long recognized as a prime farming area. The area was known for the manufacture of quality brooms, which was the source of one of its town names, Broomtown. Through its history, the area was known as Hoppingtown, Broomtown, Columbia, Afton, and finally Florham Park.[24] It was part of Hanover Township, then Chatham Township before being incorporated as Florham Park in 1899.[21]

Pick the Best Veterinary Technician Program near Florham Park NJ

Florham Park NJ vet tech holding dog Selecting the appropriate veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students considering veterinary technician programs need to make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically 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 field. This goes for vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right college, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Florham Park NJ.