Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Charleston WV

How to Select a Vet Tech School near Charleston West Virginia

Charleston WV vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong dream of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech school near Charleston WV could at first feel like a daunting endeavor. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a school that will provide the proper training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about reviewing and comparing colleges so that you can make the ideal selection? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. After they have located some nearby schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when comparing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into also. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician schools you are reviewing before you make an ultimate choice. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Charleston WV

cat with cone after surgery in Charleston WV Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you desire to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of duties that they can perform within the Charleston WV veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complicated undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are included in more complicated functions, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 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 job options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists can 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 Charleston WV labs or research facilities also.

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in Charleston

student attending online vet tech school in Charleston WV An approach that may be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using various methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Charleston WV veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for example for travel and study supplies, may be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just make certain that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized 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 mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Charleston WV Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Charleston WV vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you would like to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Charleston WV area as well as across the United States, you must ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to select 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 schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s important that you confirm that the vet tech college you choose 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 gone through a thorough screening process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a requirement for employment for many Charleston WV area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on online school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the West Virginia school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final suggestion, call some Charleston WV vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Charleston WV veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate might suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Charleston WV veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Charleston WV colleges you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Charleston WV home, you need to make sure that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located in or near 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 charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s essential that you ascertain if the vet schools you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Charleston WV. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Charleston WV?

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

Charleston, West Virginia

Charleston is the most populous city in, and the capital of, the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers, the population during the 2016 Census Estimate was 49,138. The Charleston metropolitan area as a whole had 217,916 residents. Charleston is the center of government, commerce, and industry for Kanawha County, of which it is the county seat.[6]

Early industries important to Charleston included salt and the first natural gas well.[7] Later, coal became central to economic prosperity in the city and the surrounding area. Today, trade, utilities, government, medicine, and education play central roles in the city's economy.

Charleston is the home of the West Virginia Power minor league baseball team, the West Virginia Wild minor league basketball team, and the annual 15-mile (24 km) Charleston Distance Run. Yeager Airport and the University of Charleston are also in the city. West Virginia University, Marshall University, and West Virginia State University also have campuses in the area.

Enroll in the Best Veterinary Technician Program near Charleston WV

Charleston WV vet tech holding dog Selecting the appropriate veterinary technician program is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, 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 applies to online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Charleston WV.