Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Burlington WA

How to Select a Veterinary Technician Program near Burlington Washington

Burlington WA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Burlington WA may at first seem like an overwhelming task. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a program that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about assessing and contrasting programs so that you can make the right selection? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. Once they have located some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are significant considerations when evaluating vet technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are looking at before you make an ultimate selection. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Job of a Vet Tech in Burlington WA

cat with cone after surgery in Burlington WA Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can carry out within the Burlington WA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the standard veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing 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. Generally they are not associated with more complex undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared to assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved activities, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Burlington WA laboratories or research facilities also.

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in Burlington

student attending online vet tech school in Burlington WA An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using several methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Burlington WA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, such as for travel and study supplies, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online vet tech school may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Burlington WA Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Burlington WA vet tech schools At this point you probably have decided on which veterinarian credential that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Burlington WA area as well as across the USA, you need to ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the vet tech college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough screening process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for many Burlington WA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinary college or vocational school and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on online school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Washington school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Burlington WA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They might even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs arranged with Burlington WA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate might mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could indicate that the program has an excellent reputation within the Burlington WA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify that the training is not highly thought of 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 may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Burlington WA schools you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we previously discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Burlington WA home, you must make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend 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, taking classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s essential that you find out if the veterinarian programs you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Burlington WA. Some might only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online college is the best way to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Burlington WA?

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

Burlington, Washington

Burlington is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population is 8,388 as recorded by the 2010 census.[5] It is roughly halfway in between Seattle and Vancouver, and is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Originally, Burlington's businesses were centered on Fairhaven Avenue.[9] Today, Fairhaven Avenue is the center of Burlington's old downtown,[10] and provides a gathering place for the whole city during the annual summer Berry Dairy Days.[11]

Berry Dairy Days started in 1937 was originally simply known as the Strawberry Festival. It served as a fundraiser for the town's fire department for many years. It is now a community event put on by the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.[12] A 1954 article described a gigantic strawberry shortcake that was the centerpiece of that year's festival: it consisted of 60 sheets of sponge cake that took 12 hours to bake, and claimed to be the largest strawberry shortcake in the world.[12]

Pick the Right Veterinary Technician College near Burlington WA

Burlington WA vet tech holding dog Selecting the ideal vet tech school is a critical first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students considering veterinary technician colleges must make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals as 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 online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Burlington WA.