Vet Technician Degree Program
How to Select the Best One Near Anthem Arizona

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Anthem AZ to achieve your lifelong desire to help and care for our pets might initially seem like an enormous challenge. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first locate and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the required education and training. And in order to pick the best one you must research and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many future students start their due diligence process by searching for schools that are near their homes. Once they have located some nearby schools, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are significant concerns when assessing vet technician programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be looked into also. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the programs you are assessing. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the various duties of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW

Vet Tech Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal factor will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the Anthem AZ veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. 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 involved with more involved activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared to assistants and typically acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists may 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  Anthem AZ laboratories or research facilities also.

What to Ask Vet Tech Programs

At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary credential that you want to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Anthem AZ area and across the USA, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician school you choose 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 undergone a thorough screening process that confirms you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Anthem AZ area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet college or vocational school and program you choose should have an excellent 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 placement network. Other tips include looking on internet school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Anthem AZ veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with Anthem AZ veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate could indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the program has an excellent reputation within the Anthem AZ veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Anthem AZ schools you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we previously covered location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Anthem AZ home, you need to make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes may be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's essential that you determine if the veterinary schools you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Anthem AZ. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities. You may find that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Anthem

Enroll in the Right Anthem Veterinary Technologist Program

Picking the ideal veterinary technician program is an important first step to starting a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students considering vet tech programs must make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the ideal college, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Anthem Arizona.

 

Anthem Vet Tech Colleges | Anthem Veterinary Technician Schools