New York Archives - Find Vet Tech Schools Near You

How to Enroll In a Vet Tech School near Westford New York

Westford NY vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near Westford NY may initially feel like a daunting endeavor. After all, you need to find and enroll in a college that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about assessing and comparing programs so that you can make the ideal choice? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their homes. Once they have found some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech schools you are evaluating before you make a final decision. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the various responsibilities of vet techs and the training options offered.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in Westford NY

cat with cone after surgery in Westford NY One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main factor will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Westford NY veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each position.

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 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 associated with more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with assistants and usually acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are included in more complicated tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary 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 Westford NY labs or research facilities also.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Westford

student attending online vet tech school in Westford NY An approach that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided over the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using various methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Westford NY veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, such as for traveling and study supplies, may be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech program may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Westford NY Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Westford NY vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you want to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Westford NY area as well as across the USA, you must ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary 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 mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for many Westford NY area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on online school ranking websites and speaking 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 relating to your specific schools. As a final tip, contact some Westford NY veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Westford NY veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build connections in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate might signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the school has an excellent reputation within the Westford NY vet community and has a significant 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 assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Westford NY schools you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Westford NY home, you have to make certain 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 college is located close by or within a large city. Also, if you do decide 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. On the other hand, taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s important that you find out if the veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Westford NY. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure 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 issues. You may find that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Westford NY?

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

Project West Ford

Project West Ford (also known as Westford Needles and Project Needles) was a test carried out by Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory on behalf of the United States Military in 1961 and 1963 to create an artificial ionosphere above the Earth.[1] This was done to solve a major weakness that had been identified in US military communications.[2]

At the height of the Cold War, all international communications were either sent through undersea cables or bounced off the natural ionosphere. The United States Military was concerned that the Soviets might cut those cables, forcing the unpredictable ionosphere to be the only means of communication with overseas forces.[1] So, a ring of 480,000,000[3]copper dipole antennas (1.78 cm long needles, 25.4μm [1961] / 17.8μm [1963] in diameter)[4][5] was placed in orbit to facilitate global radio communication. The length was chosen because it was half the wavelength of the 8 GHz signal used in the study.[1] The dipoles collectively provided passive support to Project Westford's parabolic dish (located in the town of Westford) to communicate with distant sites. In 1958, at MIT’s Lincoln Lab, Walter E. Morrow started Project Needles.[1]

A failed first attempt launched on October 21, 1961;[5] the needles failed to disperse. The project was eventually successful with the May 9, 1963[5] launch, with radio transmissions carried by the man-made ring. However, the technology was ultimately shelved, partially due to the development of the modern communications satellite and partially due to protests from other scientists.[1][2] The needles were placed in medium Earth orbit between 3,500 and 3,800 kilometres (2,200–2,400 mi) high at 96 and 87 degree inclinations and contributed to Earth's orbital debris.[6] British radio astronomers, together with optical astronomers and the Royal Astronomical Society, protested this action.[7][8][9] The Soviet newspaper Pravda also joined the protests under the headline "U.S.A. Dirties Space".[10] The issue was raised in the United Nations where then US Ambassador to the UN Adlai Stevenson defended the project.[11] Stevenson studied the published journal articles on Project West Ford. Using what he learned on the subject and citing the articles he had read, he successfully allayed the fears exhibited by the vast majority of UN ambassadors from other countries. He and the articles explained that sunlight pressure would cause the dipoles to only remain in orbit for a short period of approximately three years. The international protest ultimately resulted in a consultation provision included in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.[1][7] Fifty years later in 2013, some of the dipoles that did not deploy correctly still remain in clumps which make up a small amount of the orbital debris tracked by NASA’s Orbital Debris Program Office.[12][13]

Pick the Right Veterinary Technician College near Westford NY

Westford NY vet tech holding dog Picking the appropriate vet tech school is a crucial first step to beginning a gratifying career providing care and treatment for animals. Students looking into veterinary technician programs must make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the right school, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Westford NY.