Online vet tech programs?

[Stackie]

More and more lately I have been considering going into the veterinary technician field..even more so now that I have started applying for jobs in what I was originally planning to do. Seems there just aren't that many, and there are tons of other people more qualified for the good jobs.

I'm going to be receiving an Associate's degree of Science with a concentration on Biology within the next week, and I am wanting to further my education. My plans were to go back to college for 2 more years with Biology as my major to receive a Bachelor's, but I've really been thinking and looking into vet tech schools.

Online seems really appealing, and I am wanting to talk to someone who's actually done it before. So, have any of you completed an online vet tech degree? Got some advice for me? I'd really appreciate it! I'm also considering going to night classes for it on campus, but I will be working full time during the day to help pay for the new apartment.

 

[threewingedfury]

You may want to consider trying to find a college that offers it. My best friend became a vet assistant online and no one would hire her because she didn't have any experience and because it was taken online. She then went to Gaston College in Gastonia, NC to take the Vet Tech program and has been successful since. I have another friend who works in a vets office as a tech and she said that they won't hire anyone who gets their 'degree' online, but they have to have some kind of clinical/kennel experience, which is best received in college.

Of course, this isn't true for everyone, but I'd hate to go through the classes and then not be able to get a job due to experience. I've seen a lot of ads on Craigslist looking for vet techs and they state that the applicant must have experience, which you can't get online.

 

[Stackie]

I know you have to have some sort of clinicals and wasn't planning on getting all of it online. I think I read that you can take the classes online and then take your clinicals separately or something like that.

 

[Riven]

There is no such thing as an online vet tech. It's a vet assistant, they aren't the same, and you do not get hands on or in class stuff. It's kind of the same as simply going in and saying I read a lot of vet books so I'm a vet.

 

[Stackie]

I've read about vet assisting and vet techs as being separate things? I have found programs for online veterinary techinicians: http://www.vet.purdue.edu/vtdl/vtdlhome/fasttrack.html
& different ones for veterinary assistants.

I know you can't do it all online to become a tech and have to have clinical work.

Anyway, the more I've looked into it, I've decided I am going to take classes on campus. Was just wondering how the online things worked. Why do they advertise as allowing you to get your vet tech degree online if it is really vet assisting?

 

[tskoffina]

I don't know how they can do that, but depending on the school you can probably take some of the classes online. I was looking into doing the Vet Tech program at Miami-Dade College, and you can take all the Pre-Req's online, and some of the others online, but some you can only do there.

 

[mishalaa]

There are online programs for veterinary technicians, but as part of the program requirements, you have to complete internships at an AVMA veterinary office, as well as pass proctored (not online) exams. I've been seriously looking into the Penn Foster program, and plan to enroll once I get my current student loans paid off.

 

[Riven]

If you do half online and the other half hands on, then it's probably a tech license. Sorry, I thought you meant the ones you do all online!

The difference is the hands on experience, if you did a hands on and online combo one then I don't see how that would be different than a all in school degree. You'd just be doing you "class work" at home.

Good luck with it either way!

 

[addictedtochins]

Talk to some vet offices and ask them if they'd hire someone who completed a online study and whatever extra you would need to to. I did online medical billing classes for 9 months through a workers comp retraining program, got all A's and even had a local job coach but know one was interested because in was done online. Though the word was they do hire grads from the local college doing the same studies as I was.

 

[Bethany]

The problem with the online programs is you would want to take them at the college you plan to attend so they transfer.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

I'm looking to go in the exact same field. After talking with my Industrail Safety teacher I decided I didn't want to go into the other feild I was interested in. I decided I wanted to be a vet tech.

I spoke with my chins vet and he wants me to come up 2 days this summer to make sure its the career I really want to do. he said he believes I'll be able to handle it but he wants to shadow him 2 days this summer so if I decided its not want I want to do then no money was wasted for classes in college that I didn't need in the long run.
He told me he'd like for me to shadow him on a Tuesday and any other day that I wanted. Tuesday for sure because that was the day he does surgery and I'll get to be in the room for them.

 

[searchand_dstry]

My friend is doing this & I'll have to ask where she is taking the classes. She works at a veterinary hospital right now & she takes her classes online. She does her "clinicals" and hands on with the vet and the classroom stuff is what's online, obviously.

You can always call around vet's offices and see how this works out exactly & if you want, I can talk to my friend for you. I don't think all vet's would hire for this and you would probably have to search around for one.

You'd probably be better off though going to a college for this. I am planning on going into either surgical technology or nursing and was going to take a lot of my classes online & labs in the classroom (just because it's easier for me).. however, after speaking with instructors and my own doctor, I was advised against it. It's hard to get hired when they see you took online courses as opposed to actually being there.

 

[kframe9]

I was in the Vet Tech program at Purdue. They only accept approx. 30 people per year into the program, you either have to be outstanding or know someone. I switched majors after two semesters. IMO, its not worth it. You get paid the salary of a teacher to do and know so much. It was sad also b/c most of the tech students knew more than the vet students. Purdues program is good, expensive, but good. You will also get paid more as a "Purdue Vet Tech" grad. You will learn a ton, but get paid next to nothing unless you want to work in research. I felt like for what you do and know, the starting salary should be at least 40K. I didn't love it enough to not make any money. I wouldn't do an online program, you won't learn nearly as much as if you were in the classroom/lab.

 

[Brea]

I know a few vets in my area don't take the online courses. I am also looking into either vet tech or veterinary; still deciding how many years of college I can take without going mad! The one online school I found is penn foster. They do require clinicals (4 months small animal, 4 months large and 4 months exotics/avian). For the money you put into the schooling to go to a campus the wages aren't all that great which is why I'm concidering the online options myself. I invest less money but the wages are the same after a year or two. Most of the places I've talked to are more interested in the years experience than the actual schooling. The degree only means you aren't a liability if something goes wrong and thats what they told me!

 

[Renee]

I was looking into Penn Foster as well to do my course and my boss told me they are only partically accredited and its best to get full accreditation for something like that.

Do further research into online classes and if you decide to go that route, get into a course thats fully accredited.