community vs regular college

[wolfyzheart]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi all!! I'm a senior in high school and am stuck, so I could use some advice!
I can't decide if I should go to a community college or regular college/university..
The college im looking at offers a pre vet program where, during my four years, I become a RVT and complete all my pre reqs for vet school. What I like about this is that it comes with hands on experience with animals and vet tech training that I might not be able to get anywhere else. There, tuition, fees, and housing would cost approx. 25k a year.
At community I feel like its going to cut my debt down so much however I might have a hard time getting jobs with animals/vets, because I feel like its a highly sought after job? Also, im losing my entire college experience, so that's a downside too.
I'm not entirely sure which to choose. Any advice to help me would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ResoluteMike]

Any experience wherever you go is what you make of it. Weigh carefully the full experience of college against the years of school loans taking away from all of your other life experiences.

I think most folks would recommend doing whatever you have to in order to get through school as cheaply as possible. Look hard and you will be able to find animal and veterinary experience that isn't nearly as costly as the program you are looking at. I am sure if you search you can find a lot of threads on getting experience on the forum as well.

 

[PppermintTwist]

Would you want to be a vet a tech? I don't think you should do the tech program for experience unless it is a career you are considering.

I went to tech school first and have been working as a LVT since I graduated 8 years ago. I enjoy it. I did it as my fall back plan.

As far as getting the college experience...Living in a dorm and partying?

There are very few lasting friendships from my college experience. Although your experience may end up being different. Life is what you make of it.

If you're determined you can find places to get varied vet experience without a tech license.

And you can find other ways to get life experiences without doing a four year bachelors program.

Go overseas for a year or something before starting college.

 

[GSDzimm]

I have been employed with three veterinarian offices in the past 5 years. I worked as a receptionist at the first two, and I am an assistant now. Generally, an assistant gets similar experience minus dental cleanings, blood draws, etc. I have monitored patients under anesthesia, taken radiographs, and have plenty of hands on experience with animal handling/restraining and working with clients (which is something technicians tend to do less of at many practices as they're in the back doing more patient-care). I started out working at animal boarding facilities, eventually moving up to managing. From there I had little trouble finding veterinarians willing to hire me, and I don't have the debt of being a CVT with the intention of getting a DVM. For the record, I am currently in community college where I've knocked out a lot of my general education classes and plan on transferring to a University by the end of next year.

 

[PppermintTwist]

I'm not sure why they let you monitor anesthesia? A bit more at stake then a blood draw...

Where I work the techs do anesthesia, cystocentesis, and client communication.

With training the assistants do blood draws and some labwork with us.

 

[PppermintTwist]

That's just my oppinion though. I think techs need to be licensed and educated and that there should be more adherence to the law regarding what a tech verses assistant is allowed to do.

 

[orca2011]

I'm not sure why they let you monitor anesthesia? A bit more at stake then a blood draw...

Where I work the techs do anesthesia, cystocentesis, and client communication.

With training the assistants do blood draws and some labwork with us.

A lot of what you can and can't do as a vet assistant vs a CVT is dependent on state law, so it frequently varies.

 

[deleted498041]

I have been employed with three veterinarian offices in the past 5 years. I worked as a receptionist at the first two, and I am an assistant now. Generally, an assistant gets similar experience minus dental cleanings, blood draws, etc. I have monitored patients under anesthesia, taken radiographs, and have plenty of hands on experience with animal handling/restraining and working with clients (which is something technicians tend to do less of at many practices as they're in the back doing more patient-care).

I'm not sure why they let you monitor anesthesia? A bit more at stake then a blood draw...

Where I work the techs do anesthesia, cystocentesis, and client communication.

With training the assistants do blood draws and some labwork with us.

It depends on the state you live in. I was a VA while I worked on pre reqs for vet school and was able to monitor anesthesia, do dental cleanings, draw blood... just about anything a technician could. I lived in Florida at the time.

 

[deleted498041]

A lot of what you can and can't do as a vet assistant vs a CVT is dependent on state law, so it frequently varies.

You beat me to it!

 

[PppermintTwist]

I still don't like unlicensed techs monitoring anesthesia...

Just how I feel.

But OP as others have said, you don't need to spend the extra money or time getting licensed as a tech unless its a career you're interested in.

There are plenty of places to get experience. Depending on your state/the practice you may get to do more or less hands on stuff.

What state are you in?

 

[WildZoo]

I still don't like unlicensed techs monitoring anesthesia...

Just how I feel.

But OP as others have said, you don't need to spend the extra money or time getting licensed as a tech unless its a career you're interested in.

There are plenty of places to get experience. Depending on your state/the practice you may get to do more or less hands on stuff.

What state are you in?

I was monitoring anesthesia as a volunteer at a shelter. Guess it depends on where you are. When I worked as a "tech" in FL, I think only one of our techs was licensed. All the others had started as kennel assistants and then moved up over time.

 

[dyachei]

Me. I'm OK with unlicensed techs doing it but they have to be well trained

 

[orca2011]

I still don't like unlicensed techs monitoring anesthesia...

Just how I feel.

But OP as others have said, you don't need to spend the extra money or time getting licensed as a tech unless its a career you're interested in.

There are plenty of places to get experience. Depending on your state/the practice you may get to do more or less hands on stuff.

What state are you in?

I mean I agree that you shouldn't just throw someone into monitoring anesthesia without explaining anything or them having any sort of knowledge background. However, I've also met some really great vet assistants who aren't certified but have just been in the field for a while and took an active part to learn everything they could on their own.

 

[DVMDream]

I worked as an unlicensed tech for 7 years... monitored anesthesia, drew blood, placed IV catheters, did dental cleanings, etc, etc.. the only difference between me and the certified techs was the CVTs made a $1/hour extra.

I was trained on the job though how to do everything properly. I wasn't just tossed in and told to monitor... I was with an experienced person at first and I had to know how the machine worked as well as know what the drugs we were giving did and how to troubleshoot problems before I was allowed to monitor alone.

 

[DVMDream]

I still don't like unlicensed techs monitoring anesthesia...

Just how I feel.

I think you would change your mind if you met one or worked with one that was well-trained. Or maybe you wouldn't. I don't know.

Only people I have really met that had an issue with it were those that were licensed/certified techs themselves...

 

[LetItSnow]

I still don't like unlicensed techs monitoring anesthesia...

Just how I feel.

Maybe consider having a bit less of a legalistic approach? I mean ... I'm not a CVT or RVT. Would you say I shouldn't monitor anesthesia as a fourth year vet student?

Probably you wouldn't. I hope you wouldn't. But then the question is: why not? If your answer is "well duh ... you have training" ... then maybe you should think about all the on-the-job training some assistants have. Maybe it's not as formalized as 'school', but that has advantages, too, not just disadvantages.

Evaluate people based on their capabilities. Licensure is a good place to start, but you shouldn't just limit yourself to that. So long as people are staying legal, look at the bigger picture. There are techs I wouldn't trust to do a jug stick on my animal, much less run anesthesia on them. And there are assistants I'd trust to do most anything (legal).

It's all well and good to say "just how I feel" .... but you should be able to back that up with something rational.

 

[PppermintTwist]

I think the argument for an educated professional workforce is not just a feeling. It is rational.

We expect certain training from human anesthesiologists, dental hygienists, and nurses; why not veterinary medicine.

I could probably do a human dental just fine, but I wouldn't be allowed to train up into the position.

Doesn't look like licensing is required at all in Florida from what I could find.

It is required in my state and many others. So it would be illegal for an unlicensed tech to do certain tasks and i think the law should be followed.

I have met many excellent unlicensed technicians that I would trust with my pet, but I think medicine has advanced and so the next generation of technicians should be well trained and properly educated.

Many of those wonderful unlicensed technicians were grandfathered in, and rightly so.

 

[dyachei]

I think the argument for an educated professional workforce is not just a feeling. It is rational.

We expect certain training from human anesthesiologists, dental hygienists, and nurses; why not veterinary medicine.

I could probably do a human dental just fine, but I wouldn't be allowed to train up into the position.

Doesn't look like licensing is required at all in Florida from what I could find.

It is required in my state and many others. So it would be illegal for an unlicensed tech to do certain tasks and i think the law should be followed.

I have met many excellent unlicensed technicians that I would trust with my pet, but I think medicine has advanced and so the next generation of technicians should be well trained and properly educated.

Many of those wonderful unlicensed technicians were grandfathered in, and rightly so.

I don't really feel like the pay is commensurate with the cost of schooling. so if you are legally allowed to do the same thing without CVT/LVT, why not? If the training is there, i don't have a problem with it.

Comparing it to human med is a non-starter. They don't have an unlicensed position like vet med does.

 

[DVMDream]

I think the argument for an educated professional workforce is not just a feeling. It is rational.

We expect certain training from human anesthesiologists, dental hygienists, and nurses; why not veterinary medicine.

I could probably do a human dental just fine, but I wouldn't be allowed to train up into the position.

Doesn't look like licensing is required at all in Florida from what I could find.

It is required in my state and many others. So it would be illegal for an unlicensed tech to do certain tasks and i think the law should be followed.

I have met many excellent unlicensed technicians that I would trust with my pet, but I think medicine has advanced and so the next generation of technicians should be well trained and properly educated.

Many of those wonderful unlicensed technicians were grandfathered in, and rightly so.

I don't think anyone here is arguing against not following the law. We are aware that some states require techs to be licensed/certified to do certain things. However, many do not.

Why should an "assistant" (which in some states the word is turned into "tech" after so many years of working) not be allowed to monitor anesthesia if it is perfectly legal?

You said you wouldn't want an "unlicensed tech" doing anesthesia but why not? Especially, since you say that you would trust your pet with them?

And all unlicensed techs I know are very well trained and properly educated, it just isn't in a "formal" setting.

Again, the only people I hear complaints about this on are from already certified/licensed techs that don't think an unlicensed tech is as good at the job or knows what they are doing, which is completely false.

 

[Falina]

Back to OP's question:

I don't think this is really an "either or" scenario. Most, if not all, vet schools require that some of the courses you take are done at a 4 year university. As such, even if you go the community college route, you will end up transferring to a 4 year university. So either way you will have the opportunity for a "college experience". One way just happens to save you money 🙂

I went to a community college for 2 years before transferring to a university, and it worked well for me. (of course, n=1 haha)
Good luck with your decision!

 

[wolfyzheart]

Thank you all for your answers!
I understand what you guys are saying about how I don't need to get the vet tech training since I want to be a vet, thanks!
I'm leaning towards community now but I guess we will see 😉 thank you guys!!

 

[that redhead]

A third option you didn't list was attending a four year university and either just doing pre-reqs or completing a Bachelors degree. You don't have to do the RVT thing but you still get the perks of being at a four year university versus community college. Many state schools are cheaper than $25k/year too; maybe not as cheap as community college but something to consider.

Start looking for local experiences as soon as you decide where you'll go. You don't have to start working there right away, but have a couple of ideas in your back pocket. It will take some hard work and you may consider looking at experiences outside the typical small animal hospital, but you'll find things 🙂

 

[LetItSnow]

A third option you didn't list was attending a four year university and either just doing pre-reqs or completing a Bachelors degree. You don't have to do the RVT thing but you still get the perks of being at a four year university versus community college. Many state schools are cheaper than $25k/year too; maybe not as cheap as community college but something to consider.

Start looking for local experiences as soon as you decide where you'll go. You don't have to start working there right away, but have a couple of ideas in your back pocket. It will take some hard work and you may consider looking at experiences outside the typical small animal hospital, but you'll find things 🙂

(And as a bonus, if you do finish the BS/BA, you may be positioned well to get a better-paying job than with the CVT/RVT if the whole vet school thing doesn't work out.)

I love having good techs around, but god I don't understand how they do it for as little money as they make.

 

[PppermintTwist]

A third option you didn't list was attending a four year university and either just doing pre-reqs or completing a Bachelors degree. You don't have to do the RVT thing but you still get the perks of being at a four year university versus community college. Many state schools are cheaper than $25k/year too; maybe not as cheap as community college but something to consider.

Start looking for local experiences as soon as you decide where you'll go. You don't have to start working there right away, but have a couple of ideas in your back pocket. It will take some hard work and you may consider looking at experiences outside the typical small animal hospital, but you'll find things 🙂

Yes! Look around and see what else there is out there and if you can get scholarships. Maybe you can find another school that is either cheaper or will give you a better financial aid package.