Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Yorktown Heights NY

How to Pick a Veterinary Technician Program near Yorktown Heights New York

Yorktown Heights NY vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong aspiration of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Yorktown Heights NY could at first feel like a challenging undertaking. After all, you need to find and enroll in a college that will furnish the proper training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle assessing and comparing schools so that you can make the right selection? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. Once they have found some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications 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 programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in Yorktown Heights NY

cat with cone after surgery in Yorktown Heights NY Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be based 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 both work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Yorktown Heights NY veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complicated undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared to assistants and normally earn a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Yorktown Heights

student attending online vet tech school in Yorktown Heights NY An alternative that might be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available through the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Yorktown Heights NY veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, such as for travel and study supplies, can be lower compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just be sure that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online vet tech program may be the ideal option for you.

What to Ask Yorktown Heights NY Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Yorktown Heights NY vet tech schools By now you probably have decided on which veterinary credential that you would like to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Yorktown Heights NY area as well as across the United States, you must ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s important that you confirm that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, one of 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 confirms you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a precondition for employment for many Yorktown Heights NY area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. 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 online school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the New York school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations involving your specific schools. As a final recommendation, call some Yorktown Heights NY veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Yorktown Heights NY veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help develop relationships in the local vet community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate might indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Yorktown Heights NY vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Yorktown Heights NY schools you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Yes, we already covered location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Yorktown Heights NY home, you need to make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Yorktown Heights NY. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family responsibilities. You might find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Yorktown Heights NY?

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

Yorktown Heights, New York

Yorktown Heights is in the town of Yorktown, New York, in northern Westchester County, 45 miles from New York City, with forty square miles of rolling hills, farmland, residential areas and light industry including the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center. First settled in 1683, Yorktown was of strategic importance during the American Revolution, with the Pines Bridge crossing of the Croton River guarded by the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, an integrated unit which included African Americans and Native Americans. Yorktown was incorporated in 1788 and named in commemoration of the Franco-American decisive victory at Yorktown, Virginia. The Yorktown Heights Railroad Station, which last had passenger service on the New York Central Railroad's Putnam Division in 1958, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.[4]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 7,972 people, 2,629 households, and 2,163 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,399.3/mi² (540.0/km²). There were 2,661 housing units at an average density of 467.1/mi² (180.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.49% White, 2.41% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.69% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.59% of the population.

There were 2,629 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.0% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.37.

Choose the Right Veterinary Technician College near Yorktown Heights NY

Yorktown Heights NY vet tech holding dog Picking the right veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students looking into vet tech schools must make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the best program, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Yorktown Heights NY.