Veterinary Technician College
How to Pick the Best One Near Coolidge Arizona

Fulfilling your lifelong dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Coolidge AZ might initially seem like a daunting task. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the required training and education. And in order to pick the right one you must evaluate and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many future students start their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. Once they have identified some area schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when evaluating vet tech programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are examining. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the various roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main determiner will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Coolidge AZ veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training in contrast to assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination 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 four 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 work options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Some may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Coolidge AZ labs or research facilities also.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Coolidge AZ area as well as across the USA, you should ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to choose a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier 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 gone through a thorough review process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Coolidge AZ area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final pointer, contact some Coolidge AZ veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Coolidge AZ veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A lower rate might suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the college has an excellent reputation within the Coolidge AZ veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower 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, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Coolidge AZ colleges you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Coolidge AZ home, you have to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do choose to attend 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. Of course taking online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's important that you determine if the veterinarian programs you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Coolidge AZ. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Coolidge

Enroll in the Best Coolidge Veterinary Technologist School

Enrolling in the right vet tech program is an important first step to starting a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students considering veterinary technician colleges need to make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online 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 choice. And by picking the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Coolidge Arizona.

 

Coolidge Vet Tech Colleges | Coolidge Veterinary Technician Schools