Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Fort Bragg NC

How to Pick a Veterinary Technician Program near Fort Bragg North Carolina

Fort Bragg NC vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term dream of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Fort Bragg NC may initially seem like a daunting task. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a college that will provide the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the correct choice? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for schools that are near their homes. When they have located some area schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant considerations when comparing vet tech schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be looked into as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are considering before you make a final choice. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the various duties of vet techs and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Fort Bragg NC

cat with cone after surgery in Fort Bragg NC One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal factor will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous duties that they can carry out within the Fort Bragg NC veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries 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 essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years to complete. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required 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. Some may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Fort Bragg NC laboratories or research facilities as well.

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in Fort Bragg

student attending online vet tech school in Fort Bragg NC An alternative that might be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided through the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using several methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Fort Bragg NC veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, for example for commuting and study materials, may be lower compared to more standard classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect option for you.

What to Ask Fort Bragg NC Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Fort Bragg NC vet tech schools At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary credential that you want to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Fort Bragg NC area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the vet tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a rigorous screening process that confirms you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Fort Bragg NC area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet college or trade school and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the North Carolina school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final pointer, phone some Fort Bragg NC vet clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on experience 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 Fort Bragg NC veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate might signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the program has an excellent reputation within the Fort Bragg NC veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Fort Bragg NC programs you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students regarding 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 Campus Located? Of course, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Fort Bragg NC 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs particularly for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online might be an alternative 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 ascertain if the vet colleges you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Fort Bragg NC. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies. You might discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Fort Bragg NC?

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

Fort Bragg

Fort Bragg, North Carolina is a military installation of the United States Army and is the largest military installation in the world (by population) with more than 50,000 active duty personnel.[1] The installation is located within Cumberland, Hoke, Harnett, and Moore counties. The installation borders the towns of Fayetteville, Spring Lake, and Southern Pines. It was also a census-designated place in the 2000 census, during which a residential population of 29,183 was identified.[2] It is named for Confederate General Braxton Bragg. It covers over 251 square miles (650 km2). It is the home of the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps and is the headquarters of the United States Army Special Operations Command, which oversees the U.S. Army 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) and 75th Ranger Regiment.[3] It is also home to the U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army Reserve Command, and Womack Army Medical Center. Fort Bragg maintains two airfields: Pope Field, where the United States Air Force stations global airlift and special operations assets as well as the Air Force Combat Control School, and Simmons Army Airfield, where Army aviation units support the needs of airborne and special operations forces on post.

Camp Bragg was established in 1918 as an artillery training ground. The Chief of Field Artillery, General William J. Snow, was seeking an area having suitable terrain, adequate water, rail facilities, and a climate suitable for year-round training, and he decided that the area now known as Fort Bragg met all of the desired criteria.[5] Camp Bragg was named to honor a native North Carolinian, Braxton Bragg, who commanded Confederate States Army forces in the Civil War.

The aim was for six artillery brigades to be stationed there and $6,000,000 was spent on the land and cantonments.[6] There was an airfield on the camp used by aircraft and balloons for artillery spotters. The airfield was named Pope Field on April 1, 1919, in honor of First Lieutenant Harley H. Pope,[6] an airman who was killed while flying nearby. The work on the camp was finished on November 1, 1919.[6]

Enroll in the Ideal Vet Tech Program near Fort Bragg NC

Fort Bragg NC vet tech holding dog Selecting the ideal vet tech college is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students thinking about vet tech colleges need to make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it’s very important 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 schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the right school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Fort Bragg NC.