Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Highland Park NJ

How to Select a Veterinary Technician School near Highland Park New Jersey

Highland Park NJ vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong aspiration of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech school near Highland Park NJ might initially seem like a challenging task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a college that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle evaluating and contrasting programs so that you can make the proper choice? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for schools that are near their homes. When they have located some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician schools, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered also. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are looking at before you make an ultimate decision. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the different duties of vet techs and the training options offered.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Highland Park NJ

cat with cone after surgery in Highland Park NJ Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Highland Park NJ veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice 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 veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared with assistants and usually obtain 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 basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically perform the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years to complete. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary technicians and technologists may 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 NJ laboratories or research facilities as well.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Highland Park

student attending online vet tech school in Highland Park NJ An approach that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are provided via the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Highland Park NJ veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for example for travel and study supplies, may be lower compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just make certain that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect option for you.

What to Ask Highland Park NJ Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Highland Park NJ vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you want to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Highland Park NJ area and across the USA, you must ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous screening process that verifies you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a requirement for employment for a number of Highland Park NJ area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the New Jersey school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Highland Park NJ veterinarians that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs set up with Highland Park NJ veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A lower rate may mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Highland Park NJ vet community and has a substantial 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 larger, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Highland Park NJ programs you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Okay, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Highland Park NJ home, you must make sure that the commuting 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, particularly if the college is located near or in 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 fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s essential that you find out if the veterinarian schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Highland Park NJ. Some might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family issues. You may find that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Highland Park NJ?

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

Highland Park, New Jersey

Highland Park is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 13,982,[9][10][11] reflecting a decline of 17 (−0.1%) from the 13,999 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 720 (+5.4%) from the 13,279 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]

Highland Park was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1905, when it broke away from what was then known as Raritan Township (present-day Edison).[21] The borough was named for its location above the Raritan River.[22]

The Native American Lenape people hunted on the hilly land along the Raritan River, and their trails crisscrossed the area. In 1685, John Inian bought land on both shores of the Raritan River and built two new landings downstream from the Assunpink Trail's fording place, which was later developed as Raritan Landing. He established a ferry service and the main road then was redirected to lead straight to the ferry landing. This river crossing was run by generations of different owners and a ferry house tavern operated for many years in the 18th century.[23] A toll bridge replaced the ferry in 1795. The wood plank Albany Street Bridge was dismantled in 1848 and reconstructed in 1853. The present day stone arch road bridge was built in 1892. It became the Lincoln Highway Bridge in 1914 and was widened in 1925.[24]

Choose the Ideal Vet Tech College near Highland Park NJ

Highland Park NJ vet tech holding dog Picking the right vet tech school is an important first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Potential students looking into vet tech programs must make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the best program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Highland Park NJ.