Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Putnam Valley NY

How to Choose a Veterinary Technician Program near Putnam Valley New York

Putnam Valley NY vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Putnam Valley NY might initially feel like a challenging task. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a college that will provide the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach assessing and contrasting colleges 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. Once they have found some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important considerations when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated also. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician schools you are evaluating before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in Putnam Valley NY

cat with cone after surgery in Putnam Valley NY One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. 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 determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many tasks that they can perform within the Putnam Valley NY veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the standard vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Many may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Putnam Valley NY labs or research facilities also.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Putnam Valley

student attending online vet tech school in Putnam Valley NY An option that may be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are made available via 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 the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Putnam Valley NY veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, for example for commuting and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just make sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect choice for you.

What to Ask Putnam Valley NY Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Putnam Valley NY vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you want to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Putnam Valley NY area and across the Country, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, 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 a rigorous review process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a prerequisite for employment for many Putnam Valley NY area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with internet school rating 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 violations concerning your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, phone some Putnam Valley NY vet clinics that you may want 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 most effective way to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs arranged with Putnam Valley NY veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help develop relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate could suggest that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may mean that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Putnam Valley NY vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Putnam Valley NY colleges you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Putnam Valley NY home, you must make sure 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 commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you find out if the veterinarian colleges you are exploring 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 Putnam Valley NY. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Putnam Valley NY?

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

Putnam Valley, New York

Putnam Valley is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. The population was 11,809 at the 2010 census.[3] Its location is northeast of New York City, in the southwest part of Putnam County. Many residents of Putnam Valley commute to New York City daily for work or recreational purposes (Midtown Manhattan is around a forty five to fifty minute drive). Putnam Valley calls itself the "Town of Lakes".

The retreating glaciers of the last ice age did much to shape the landscape of Putnam Valley, including the shearing of hills to expose springs (creating, for example Bryant Pond) and leaving the glacial deposits of stone and large boulders. The current area of Putnam Valley was occupied by paleo-Indians followed by the historic Wappinger Indians who lived by the many lakes.

In 1697, the Highland Patent was granted to Adolph Philipse. The first settlers arrived around 1740. In 1745 the Smith property was sold to the Bryant family, who renamed their pond Bryant Pond and the nearby hill, Bryant Hill. The Smith family homestead is the oldest house in Putnam Valley, located just east of the Taconic Parkway on Bryant Pond Road.

Pick the Ideal Vet Tech School near Putnam Valley NY

Putnam Valley NY vet tech holding dog Selecting the appropriate veterinary technician program is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students considering veterinary technician colleges must make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the ideal program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Putnam Valley NY.