Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools New Berlin WI

How to Enroll In a Veterinary Technician School near New Berlin Wisconsin

New Berlin WI vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech school near New Berlin WI could at first seem like a challenging task. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a college that will provide the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle evaluating and contrasting programs so that you can make the right choice? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. When they have identified some local schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important factors when assessing vet tech programs, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. 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 veterinary technician 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 discuss them we’ll talk about the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Role of a Vet Tech in New Berlin WI

cat with cone after surgery in New Berlin WI One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many jobs that they can perform within the New Berlin WI veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from 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 completion of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex activities, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complex activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years to complete. Therefore 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 options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in New Berlin WI laboratories or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in New Berlin

student attending online vet tech school in New Berlin WI An option that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are offered over the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local New Berlin WI veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, such as for commuting and study materials, can be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified 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 independent fashion, an online vet tech school may be the right choice for you.

What to Ask New Berlin WI Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask New Berlin WI vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you wish to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the New Berlin WI area as well as across the United States, you must ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s important that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. 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 rigorous review process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of New Berlin WI area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinary college or vocational school and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Wisconsin school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final tip, call some New Berlin WI vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with New Berlin WI veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate may indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the school has an exceptional reputation within the New Berlin WI vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the New Berlin WI colleges you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your New Berlin WI home, you must confirm 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 school is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you determine if the vet schools you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near New Berlin WI. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near New Berlin WI?

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

New Berlin, Wisconsin

The first settlers, Sidney Evans and P.G. Harrington, arrived in the northeastern part of what is now the New Berlin in 1836. The area first came under local government in 1838 as part of the Town of Muskego, which at the time was composed of New Berlin and Muskego. The area that is now the city of New Berlin was separated from the Town of Muskego in 1839 and named the Town of Mentor.[7]

On January 13, 1840, the Town of Mentor became the Town of New Berlin. It was named by Sidney Evans for his hometown, New Berlin, New York. The town remained a rural and agricultural area until the 1940s, when the westward migration to the suburbs from Milwaukee began. Between 1850 and 1950, New Berlin's population went from 1,293 to 5,334. Ten years later, in 1960, the population had nearly tripled to 15,788. The Town of New Berlin became the City of New Berlin with its incorporation in 1959.[7]

Large-scale growth to New Berlin occurred in the 1960s and 1970s, mainly as a result of the construction of the New Berlin Industrial Park, which began in 1964. The park is composed of three separate business parks encompassing 1,126 acres (4.6 km2). The business parks include the Moorland Road Industrial Park, the New Berlin Industrial Park and the MSI/Lincoln Avenue Industrial Park.[8]

Enroll in the Best Vet Tech School near New Berlin WI

New Berlin WI vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the appropriate veterinary technician college is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students thinking about veterinary technician colleges must make their selection based on a number of 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 very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for 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 choices so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the right program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in New Berlin WI.