Tag Archives: AVMA Accredited Vet Tech Schools New Haven CT 06501

Vet Tech Schools near New Haven CT 06501

How to Select a Vet Assistant Program near New Haven Connecticut

New Haven CT vet tech holding dog during examFulfilling your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet school near New Haven CT might initially seem like a daunting endeavor. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a school that will provide the proper training so that you can be successful as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. But just how do you approach analyzing and comparing colleges so that you can make the proper selection? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their homes. Once they have located some local schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary tech programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate choice. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the varied roles of veterinary techs and assistants and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Assistant and Technician

New Haven CT vet assistant taking vital signs of puppyOne of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What vet techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the New Haven CT veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each position.

  • Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a vocational school or community college near New Haven CT. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
  • Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with 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 veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty 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 activities, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
  • Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years to complete. So the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Veterinarian Online Degree Programs

attending vet tech school online in New Haven CTAn approach that may be a solution for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local New Haven CT veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, for instance for traveling and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical 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 or assistant program may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Vet Assistant and Technologist Training Programs

cat wearing cone after vet surgery in New Haven CTBy now you probably have determined which veterinary credential that you want to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in Connecticut as well as across the United States, you must ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the New Haven CT veterinary assistant and technician colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It’s essential that you verify that the veterinary technician or assistant school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous review process that confirms you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a precondition for employment for many New Haven CT veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation?  The veterinarian trade school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Connecticut school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations relating to your targeted schools. As a final tip, get in touch with some New Haven CT veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet assistant or technician is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with regional veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local New Haven CT veterinary community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary tech or assistant school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A lower rate may indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching 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 high placement rate might signify that the New Haven CT college has an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may 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 probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the New Haven CT programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Okay, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary tech classes from work or home, you must make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the New Haven CT school is located in or near 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 increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it’s imperative that you determine if the Connecticut veterinarian schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available near New Haven CT before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Why Did You Want to Be a Veterinary Technician?

When preparing to interview for a veterinary position, it's a good idea to review questions you could be asked. Among the things that hiring managers often ask veterinary candidates is "What made you choose veterinary care as a career?". What the interviewer is hoping to uncover is not just the private reasons you may have for becoming a vet assistant, but additionally what qualities and abilities you possess that make you good at your profession. You will likely be asked questions pertaining specifically to veterinary care, in addition to a certain number of standard interview questions, so you need to prepare several approaches about how you would like to address them. Considering there are so many variables that go into selecting a career, you can address this primary question in a multitude of ways. When readying an answer, aim to include the reasons the work appeals to you as well as the strengths you have that make you an outstanding vet tech and the ideal choice for the job. Don't make an effort to memorize an answer, but take down a few concepts and topics that relate to your own strengths and experiences. Reviewing sample responses can assist you to formulate your own concepts, and inspire ideas of what to include to impress the recruiter.

Pick the Best Veterinary Technologist College near New Haven CT

Picking the appropriate vet technician school is a crucial first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students looking into veterinary tech or assistant programs must make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary assistants, techs and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist in New Haven CT.

A Little Bit About New Haven CT

New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven (locally /nuː ˈheɪvən/ noo-HAY-vən),[2] in the U.S. state of Connecticut, is the principal municipality in Greater New Haven, which had a total population of 862,477 in 2010.[3] It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut, and is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Connecticut (after Bridgeport), with a population of 129,779 people as of the 2010 United States Census.[4] According to a census of 1 July 2012, by the Census Bureau, the city had a population of 130,741.

New Haven was founded in 1638 by English Puritans, and a year later eight streets were laid out in a four-by-four grid, creating what is commonly known as the "Nine Square Plan".[5] The central common block is the New Haven Green, a 16-acre (6 ha) square, and the center of Downtown New Haven. The Green is now a National Historic Landmark and the "Nine Square Plan" is recognized by the American Planning Association as a National Planning Landmark.[6]

New Haven is the home of Yale University. The university is an integral part of the city's economy, being New Haven's biggest taxpayer and employer.[7] Health care (hospitals and biotechnology), professional services (legal, architectural, marketing, and engineering), financial services, and retail trade also help to form an economic base for the city.

 

 

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