Tag Archives: How to Become a Vet Tech in Georgetown CT 06829

Vet Tech Schools near Georgetown CT 06829

How to Select a Veterinary Assistant Program near Georgetown Connecticut

Georgetown CT vet tech holding dog during examRealizing your lifelong dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet program near Georgetown CT may initially seem like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. But just how do you tackle reviewing and contrasting programs so that you can make the correct selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. After they have found some area schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important factors when evaluating vet tech schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary tech programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the varied duties of veterinary techs and assistants and the training alternatives offered.

The Role of a Vet Technician and Assistant

Georgetown CT vet assistant taking vital signs of puppyAmong the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may 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 appeals to you the most. What vet techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are numerous duties that they can perform within the Georgetown CT veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialty.

  • Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or vocational school near Georgetown CT. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more involved activities, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
  • Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and usually obtain a 2 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 function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
  • Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes four 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 work opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in laboratories or Georgetown CT area research facilities as well.

Vet Online Courses

attending vet tech school online in Georgetown CTAn option that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available via the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Georgetown CT veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, such as for travel and study supplies, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just be sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online vet tech or assistant school may be the right option for you.

Things to Ask Vet Assistant and Technologist Colleges

cat wearing cone after vet surgery in Georgetown CTAt this point you probably have selected which veterinarian certificate or degree that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in Connecticut and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the Georgetown CT veterinary assistant and tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It’s essential that you make sure that the vet assistant or technician school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is frequently a precondition for employment for many Georgetown CT veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation?  The veterinary trade school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Connecticut school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Georgetown CT veterinarians that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet technician or assistant is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs set up with local veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local Georgetown CT vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary assistant or technician program may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate could mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could indicate that the Georgetown CT college has an exceptional reputation within the vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you may get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Georgetown CT colleges you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor 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 approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus 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 vet tech classes from work or home, you need to make certain that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the Georgetown CT school is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend 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. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it’s imperative that you determine if the Connecticut veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered near Georgetown CT before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family emergencies. You might find that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Why Did You Choose to Be a Vet Technician?

When prepping to interview for a veterinary position, it's helpful to review questions you could be asked. One of the questions that hiring managers typically ask veterinary applicants is "What compelled you to select veterinary care as a career?". What the interviewer is hoping to discover is not just the private reasons you might have for becoming a veterinary technician, but additionally what qualities and skills you have that make you exceptional at what you do. You will likely be asked questions pertaining primarily to veterinary care, along with a significant number of standard interview questions, so you must prepare a number of ideas about how you would like to answer them. Given that there are numerous variables that go into choosing a career, you can answer this fundamental question in a variety of ways. When formulating an answer, aim to include the reasons the profession interests you along with the strengths you possess that make you an outstanding vet tech and the leading choice for the position. Don't try to memorize an answer, but write down a few concepts and talking points that relate to your personal experiences and strengths. Going over sample answers can assist you to prepare your own thoughts, and inspire ideas of what to include to enthuse the recruiter.

Enroll in the Best Vet Technician Training Program near Georgetown CT

Choosing the right veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students thinking about veterinary assistant or tech schools need to make their decision based on multiple key factors. Veterinary assistants, techs and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist in Georgetown CT.

A Little Bit About Georgetown CT

Georgetown, Connecticut

Georgetown is a village and census-designated place in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is located in the area where the towns of Wilton, Redding, Ridgefield, and Weston meet.

The village and its surrounding area are also defined as the Georgetown census-designated place (CDP). As of the 2010 census, the population of the CDP was 1,805.[1]

Georgetown is located at the southwest corner of the town of Redding, the northwest corner of the town of Weston, the southeast corner of the town of Ridgefield, and the northeast corner of the town of Wilton. Georgetown residents officially live in and pay local taxes to one of these four towns, but typically identify themselves as living in Georgetown. Georgetown has its own fire district, which also serves the surrounding rural areas not traditionally included in Georgetown, and its own ZIP code (06829).

 

 

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