How to Choose a Veterinary Technician School near Plattsburgh New York

Realizing your long term aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Plattsburgh NY may at first feel like a daunting endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about assessing and comparing colleges so that you can make the right selection? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their residences. After they have located some local schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are significant concerns when comparing vet tech schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation need to be evaluated also. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician programs you are evaluating before you make a final selection. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the varied duties of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in Plattsburgh NY 

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. 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 appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are many duties that they can carry out within the Plattsburgh NY veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complicated undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and typically obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years to complete. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Plattsburgh NY laboratories or research facilities also.

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Plattsburgh

An option that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided via the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Plattsburgh NY veterinary 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 example for commuting and study materials, can be lower compared to more conventional 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 courses and the practical 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 school may be the ideal choice for you.

What to Ask Plattsburgh NY Vet Tech Colleges

By now you should have determined which veterinary degree that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Plattsburgh NY area and across the United States, you need to ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to select a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It’s important that you verify that the veterinary technician program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is often a requirement for employment for many Plattsburgh NY area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’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 interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on online school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the New York school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Plattsburgh NY vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Plattsburgh NY veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate might mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Plattsburgh NY vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Plattsburgh NY colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we already covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Plattsburgh NY home, you must confirm that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or close by 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 fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it’s important that you find out if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough 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 Plattsburgh NY. Some may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to work, sickness or family emergencies. You may find that an online school is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Plattsburgh NY?

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

Enroll in the Right Veterinary Technician School near Plattsburgh NY

Enrolling in the ideal veterinary technician program is an important first step to starting a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students considering vet tech schools need to make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the ideal school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Plattsburgh NY.

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