Tag Archives: AVMA Accredited Vet Tech Schools South Glastonbury CT 06073

Vet Tech Schools near South Glastonbury CT 06073

How to Pick a Vet Tech Program near South Glastonbury Connecticut

South Glastonbury CT vet tech holding dog during examRealizing your lifelong dream of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinarian school near South Glastonbury CT might initially seem like a daunting undertaking. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a college that will deliver the appropriate training so that you can succeed as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. But just how do you go about assessing and comparing colleges so that you can make the right selection? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by searching for schools that are close to their homes. Once they have identified some local schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be looked into 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 furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the various duties of veterinary assistants and techs and the training alternatives offered.

The Function of a Vet Assistant and Tech

South Glastonbury CT vet assistant taking vital signs of puppyAmong the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the primary determiner 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 licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the South Glastonbury CT veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each specialization.

  • Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school near South Glastonbury CT. 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 involved with more complicated undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
  • Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared to assistants and typically earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary 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 included in more involved activities, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
  • Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and basically carry out 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 difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in labs or South Glastonbury CT area research facilities also.

Veterinarian Online Schools

attending vet tech school online in South Glastonbury CTAn approach that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinarian school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided through the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using multiple methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local South Glastonbury CT veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for example for commuting and study supplies, can be lower compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. 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 independent mode, an online veterinary technician or assistant program may be the right choice for you.

What to Ask Veterinary Assistant and Technologist Programs

cat wearing cone after vet surgery in South Glastonbury CTBy now you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in Connecticut as well as across the United States, you should ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the South Glastonbury CT vet technician and assistant colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It’s essential that you make sure that the veterinary assistant or tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a requirement for employment for a number of South Glastonbury CT veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Connecticut school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some South Glastonbury CT vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective means to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet assistant or technician is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs established with local veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local South Glastonbury CT vet community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet technician or assistant program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A low rate could mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may signify that the South Glastonbury CT college has an excellent reputation within the veterinary 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 larger, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the South Glastonbury CT 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 instructors and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from work or home, you need to confirm that the commuting 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, especially if the South Glastonbury CT campus is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it’s important that you find out if the Connecticut veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are offered near South Glastonbury CT before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of work, sickness or family issues. You might discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Why Did You Decide to Be a Vet Tech?

When prepping to interview for a veterinary job, it's helpful to reflect on questions you might be asked. Among the questions that hiring managers frequently ask veterinary prospects is "What compelled you to decide on veterinary care as a profession?". What the interviewer is attempting to uncover is not only the private reasons you may have for becoming a veterinary technician, but also what attributes and skills you possess that make you outstanding at what you do. You will probably be asked questions pertaining exclusively to veterinary care, along with a significant number of standard interview questions, so you must prepare some ideas about how you would like to address them. Considering there are several factors that go into selecting a career, you can answer this primary question in a number of ways. When preparing an answer, try to include the reasons the profession interests you as well as the strengths you have that make you an outstanding vet tech and the leading choice for the job. Don't try to memorize an answer, but write down a few concepts and topics that relate to your own experiences and strengths. Going over sample answers can help you to develop your own thoughts, and give you ideas of what to discuss to enthuse the interviewer.

Choose the Right Vet Assistant Program near South Glastonbury CT

Choosing the appropriate veterinary assistant or tech school is a critical first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Potential students looking into vet tech or assistant programs need to make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary techs, assistants and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist in South Glastonbury CT.

A Little Bit About South Glastonbury CT

Glastonbury, Connecticut

Glastonbury is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, formally founded in 1693 with settlers first arriving in 1636. The town was named after Glastonbury in Somerset, England. Glastonbury is located on the banks of the Connecticut River, 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Hartford. The town center is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 34,427 at the 2010 census.[1]

In 2013, the South Glastonbury zip code, 06073, was ranked the 11th wealthiest zip code in Connecticut. The town also has the Crystal Ridge neighborhood, which is estimated to be the wealthiest neighborhood in the Greater Hartford area.[2][3]

In 1636, thirty families were settled in Pyaug, a tract of land belonging to Wethersfield on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River, bought from the Native American chief Sowheag for 12 yards (11 m) of trading cloth. In 1672, Wethersfield and Hartford were granted permission by the General Court to extend the boundary line of Pyaug 5 miles (8 km) to the east. By 1690, residents of Pyaug had gained permission from Wethersfield to become a separate town and, in 1693, the town of Glassenbury was created.[4]

 

 

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