Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Franksville WI

How to Pick a Vet Tech Program near Franksville Wisconsin

Franksville WI vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Franksville WI may initially feel like a challenging undertaking. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the best selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. Once they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when assessing vet technician programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be considered also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are evaluating before you make a final choice. We have furnished several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll explore the various duties of vet techs and the training options available.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in Franksville WI

cat with cone after surgery in Franksville WI One of 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 decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal factor will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Franksville WI veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing 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 performance of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and usually obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years. So the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. A number may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Franksville WI labs or research facilities also.

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in Franksville

student attending online vet tech school in Franksville WI An alternative that might make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered over the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Franksville WI veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, for example for commuting and study supplies, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal choice for you.

Things to Ask Franksville WI Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Franksville WI vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you would like to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Franksville WI area and across the United States, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to select a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a prerequisite for employment for many Franksville WI area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Wisconsin school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, phone some Franksville WI veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs set up with Franksville WI veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help develop relationships in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate may suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Franksville WI veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big 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 Franksville WI colleges you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Okay, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Franksville WI home, you have to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located close by or within a larger city. Also, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Franksville WI. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online school is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Franksville WI?

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

Franksville, Wisconsin

Originally occupied by the Potowatomi tribe, the first white settlers in the area then known as Skunk Grove arrived in the 1830s. By the 1850s, plank roads were built through the area, and by the 1870s the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway laid tracks through the area and a plat was filed with Racine County.[3](pp3–5)

In 1907 the Frank Pure Food Company was established and built a plant in Franksville for the purpose of making sauerkraut.[3](p22) Contrary to popular belief, however, the company did not give Franksville its name, which had already been established. The name likely came from either Frank Brandecker, a surveyor who platted the area, or Frank Drandieker, a foreman of the crew that laid the railroad tracks through the area.[3](p5) In 1949 the company held the first Kraut Festival, which was originally a picnic for employees and friends, but later expanded to a 4-day event.[3](p12) The festival's run ended 2002, but was revived in 2015 as Kraut Music Fest.[4]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,789 people, 651 households, and 531 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 412.4 people per square mile (159.2/km²). There were 661 housing units at an average density of 152.4/sq mi (58.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.76% White, 0.61% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.56% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.91% of the population.

Pick the Right Vet Tech School near Franksville WI

Franksville WI vet tech holding dog Picking the right veterinary technician program is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students thinking about vet tech schools need to make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you pick 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 provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the ideal program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Franksville WI.