How to Enroll In a Vet Assistant College near Des Plaines Illinois
Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinarian program near Des Plaines IL may initially feel like an overwhelming task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. But just how do you tackle reviewing and contrasting schools so that you can make the correct selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their homes. After they have located some local colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant factors when evaluating vet tech schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary tech programs you are reviewing before you make a final choice. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the different roles of vet techs and assistants and the training alternatives offered.
The Function of a Vet Technician and Assistant
One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you wish 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 commit to your training, but the principal factor will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What vet techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are numerous duties that they can carry out within the Des Plaines IL veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialty.
- Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed 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 vocational school or community college near Des Plaines IL. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
- Vet Technicians receive more extensive training in contrast to assistants and typically acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are included in more involved duties, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years. So the only real distinction 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 additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Veterinary technicians and technologists can 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 labs or Des Plaines IL area research facilities as well.
Online Veterinary Courses
An approach that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are offered by means of the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using several methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Des Plaines IL veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, such as for traveling and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just make sure that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician or assistant program may be the perfect choice for you.
Questions to Ask Veterinary Assistant and Tech Degree Programs
By now you should have determined which veterinary certificate or degree that you want to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in Illinois as well as across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other significant qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the Des Plaines IL veterinary assistant and technician schools that you are considering.
Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s important that you confirm that the vet assistant or tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding screening process that confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Des Plaines IL veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinary college or vocational school and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Illinois school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Des Plaines IL veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest some programs not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best means to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet assistant or tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs established with area veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local Des Plaines IL veterinarian community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.
Is there a Job Assistance Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician or assistant program may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate could mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could indicate that the Des Plaines IL college has an exceptional reputation within the vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Des Plaines IL schools you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk 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 already discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from home or work, you must make certain 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 Des Plaines IL campus is located in or near a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.
Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s essential that you determine if the Illinois veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered near Des Plaines IL prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your vet education into your hectic life.
Why Did You Decide to Be a Vet Tech?
When prepping to interview for a veterinary position, it's important to review questions you may be asked. Among the questions that recruiters frequently ask veterinary candidates is "What drove you to decide on veterinary care as a career?". What the interviewer is trying to uncover is not just the private reasons you might have for being a vet tech, but also what characteristics and skills you possess that make you exceptional at your profession. You will probably be asked questions relating exclusively to veterinary care, along with a significant number of general interview questions, so you should organize a number of ideas about how you would like to respond to them. Given that there are numerous factors that go into choosing a career, you can answer this fundamental question in a variety of ways. When formulating an answer, attempt to include the reasons the work interests you in addition to the talents you possess that make you an outstanding vet tech and the perfiect candidate for the position. Don't attempt to memorize a response, but jot down several concepts and anecdotes that relate to your personal experiences and strengths. Going over sample answers can help you to develop your own concepts, and provide ideas of what to discuss to wow the interviewer.Select the Best Veterinary Tech School near Des Plaines IL
Enrolling in the right vet technician college is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for animals. Potential students looking into vet assistant or tech schools must make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary assistants, techs and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential 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 schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary assistant, tech or technologist in Des Plaines IL.
A Little Bit About Des Plaines IL
Des Plaines, Illinois
Des Plaines /dɪsˈpleɪnz/ is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 58,364.[5] It is a suburb of Chicago and is just north of O'Hare International Airport. It is located on, and named for, the Des Plaines River, which runs through the city just east of its downtown area.
Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Ojibwe (Chippewa) Native American tribes inhabited the Des Plaines River Valley prior to Europeans' arrival. When French explorers and missionaries arrived in the 1600s, in what was then the Illinois Country of New France, they named the waterway La Rivière des Plaines (River of the Plane Tree) as they felt that trees on the river resembled the European plane tree. The first white settlers came from the eastern United States in 1833,[6] after the Treaty of Chicago, followed by many German immigrants during the 1840s and 1850s.[7] In the 1850s, land in the area was purchased by the Illinois and Wisconsin Land Company along a railroad line planned between Chicago and Janesville, Wisconsin. In 1852, the developers built a steam-powered mill next to the river, to cut local trees into railroad ties. Socrates Rand then bought the mill and converted it into a grist mill, which attracted local farmers. The Illinois and Wisconsin Railroad made its first stop in the area in the fall of 1854.[8]
In 1857, the Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad began running its route, stopping[citation needed]near the mill on the Des Plaines river, where a small business section had grown up. The railroad platted the prospective town of Rand at the site. In 1859, the Chicago and North Western Railway purchased the rail line, giving the train station the name "Des Plaines". In 1869, the Rand subdivision name was changed to Des Plaines, and the village of Des Plaines was incorporated.[9]
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