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Vet Technician Degree Program
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Chino Valley Arizona

Chino Valley Arizona dog with large ears wearing coneRealizing your long term aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech program near Chino Valley AZ might initially seem like a challenging endeavor. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you must first search for and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. And in order to pick the right one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you are considering. Many potential students begin their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their residences. After they have located some local schools, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are significant factors when evaluating vet tech programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the programs you are evaluating. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

Chino Valley Arizona veterinarian monitoring dog's blood pressure

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal factor will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Chino Valley AZ veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or conduct 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 duties and training requirements for each position.

  • Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
  • Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared to assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated functions, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently 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 carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years. So the only real 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 potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Chino Valley AZ laboratories or research facilities also.

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Available

Chino Valley Arizona woman taking vet tech courses onlineAn approach that may make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using various methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Chino Valley AZ veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, for instance for traveling and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

Chino Valley Arizona cat in portable kennel in veterinary hospitalBy now you should have selected which veterinary degree that you would like to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Chino Valley AZ area as well as across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you want to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier 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 demanding screening process that verifies you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting 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 program is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Chino Valley AZ area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Chino Valley AZ veterinarians that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Chino Valley AZ veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate might mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may signify that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Chino Valley AZ veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Chino Valley AZ schools you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Chino Valley AZ home, you need to make sure that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located near or in a larger 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 higher tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's important that you find out if the veterinary programs you are considering 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 in the evenings near Chino Valley AZ. Some might only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You might discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Chino Valley

Chosse the Right Chino Valley Veterinary Technologist College

Picking the right vet tech program is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career providing care and treatment for animals. Future students looking into veterinary technician colleges must make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech colleges 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 selecting the ideal program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Chino Valley Arizona.



 

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