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How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician School near Bothell Washington

Bothell WA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Bothell WA could initially feel like a challenging task. After all, you need to find and enroll in a school that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about assessing and comparing schools so that you can make the right selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their residences. After they have found some area schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant factors when assessing vet tech schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into as well. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician schools you are reviewing before you make a final decision. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in Bothell WA

cat with cone after surgery in Bothell WA One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can carry out within the Bothell WA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complicated tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared with assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. So the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Some may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Bothell WA labs or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Bothell

student attending online vet tech school in Bothell WA An approach that might make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Bothell WA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for instance for traveling and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect option for you.

Questions to Ask Bothell WA Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Bothell WA vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinary credential that you wish to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Bothell WA area as well as across the USA, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that ensures you will obtain 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 colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Bothell WA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Washington school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final pointer, call some Bothell WA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best way to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Bothell WA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help establish associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate could signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Bothell WA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Bothell WA programs you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to attend 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 backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Bothell WA home, you have to confirm that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or close by a larger city. Also, if you do choose to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you find out if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Bothell WA. Some might only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Bothell WA?

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

Bothell, Washington

Bothell (/ˈbɒθəl/) is a city located in King and Snohomish Counties in the State of Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area.[6] Based on per capita income, Bothell ranks 78th of 614 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.

Prior to European settlement, the Sammamish River Valley from Lake Washington to Issaquah Creek south and upstream of Lake Sammamish was inhabited by a population of as many as 200 Native Americans known as the Sammamish. The Sammamish were relocated after the Puget Sound War in 1856 to reservations and non-reservation lands.[7]

In 1870, Columbus S. Greenleaf and George R. Wilson filed land claims in the area formerly inhabited by the Sammamish near present-day Bothell, and built homes. Eight families followed over the next six years. In 1876, Canadian George Brackett bought land and began commercial logging out of a camp located on the north bank of the Sammamish River in what is now the heart of downtown Bothell. A store, school, and sawmill followed over the next several years.

Choose the Right Veterinary Technician College near Bothell WA

Bothell WA vet tech holding dog Picking the ideal vet tech program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician programs must make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Bothell WA.