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How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician School near Portage Wisconsin

Portage WI vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Portage WI could at first seem like a challenging endeavor. After all, you must locate and enroll in a college that will deliver the necessary training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing programs so that you can make the correct selection? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their residences. After they have located some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are significant concerns when evaluating vet tech schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. 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 evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in Portage WI

cat with cone after surgery in Portage WI One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are many jobs that they can perform within the Portage WI veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing 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 execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared to assistants and generally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated functions, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years to complete. 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 job options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Portage

student attending online vet tech school in Portage WI An alternative that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full time while going to veterinarian college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Portage WI veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, such as for travel and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just be sure that the program that you select 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 independent manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Portage WI Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Portage WI vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinary degree that you want to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Portage WI area and across the Country, you must ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s essential that you verify that the veterinary technician program you enroll in 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 an extensive review process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for a number of Portage WI area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions 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 regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Portage WI veterinarians that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best means to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs set up with Portage WI veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate could mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Portage WI veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not highly 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, you most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Portage WI programs you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Portage WI home, you need to make certain that the commuting time fits into 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 close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you ascertain if the veterinary programs you are considering offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Portage WI. Some might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family responsibilities. You may find that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Portage WI?

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

Portage, Wisconsin

Portage is a city in and the county seat of Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States.[6] The population was 10,662 at the 2010 census[5] making it the largest city in Columbia County. The city is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Portage was named for the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway, a portage between the Fox River and the Wisconsin River, which was recognized by Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet during their discovery of a route to the Mississippi River in 1673. The city's slogan is "Where the North Begins."

The Native American tribes that once lived here, and later the European traders and settlers, took advantage of the lowlands between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers as a natural "portage". This is reflected in indigenous names for the town, such as the Menominee name Kahkāmohnakaneh, which means "at the short cut".[7] In May 1673, Jacques Marquette joined the expedition of Louis Jolliet, a French-Canadian explorer, to find the Mississippi River. They departed from St. Ignace on May 17, with two canoes and five voyageurs of French-Indian ancestry (Métis). They followed Lake Michigan to Green Bay and up the Fox River, nearly to its headwaters. From there, they were told to portage their canoes a distance of slightly less than two miles through marsh and oak plains to the Wisconsin River. Later, French fur traders described the place as "le portage", which eventually lent itself to the name of the community. As a portage, this community developed as a center of commerce and trade; later, a canal was constructed to facilitate this trade. When the railroads came through, the community continued in this role.

Enroll in the Best Veterinary Technician College near Portage WI

Portage WI vet tech holding dog Choosing the ideal veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to starting a rewarding career providing treatment and care for animals. Students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative 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 colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best college, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Portage WI.