Vet Technician College
How to Pick the Right One Near El Mirage Arizona

Fulfilling your long term dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near El Mirage AZ could initially seem like an overwhelming task. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you need to first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the necessary education and training. But just how do you go about reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the correct selection? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their homes. Once they have located some area colleges, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important factors when assessing vet technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are evaluating before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the various duties of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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Vet Tech Training Options

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the El Mirage AZ veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each position.

• Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast to assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated functions, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years to complete. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

At this point you probably have decided on which veterinarian degree that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the El Mirage AZ area as well as across the Country, you should ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the vet tech college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive review process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for many El Mirage AZ area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final suggestion, call some El Mirage AZ vet clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the programs you are considering have internship programs arranged with El Mirage AZ veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A lower rate may indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the program has an excellent reputation within the El Mirage AZ veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the El Mirage AZ colleges you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your El Mirage AZ home, you must make sure that the driving time fits into 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, especially if the campus is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you find out if the veterinarian colleges you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near El Mirage AZ. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family responsibilities. You may find that an online school is the best way to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in El Mirage

Chosse the Best El Mirage Vet Technologist College

Enrolling in the appropriate veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students looking into vet tech colleges need to make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech programs 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 right program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in El Mirage Arizona.

 

El Mirage Vet Tech Colleges | El Mirage Veterinary Technician Schools