Home >> Arizona >> Fort Mohave >> How To Become A Vet Tech


Vet Tech Colleges
Receive Free Info - Fort Mohave AZ 86426

Vet Technician Training Program
How to Select the Right One Near Fort Mohave Arizona

Fort Mohave Arizona dog with big ears wearing coneFinding a veterinary technician school near Fort Mohave AZ to achieve your heartfelt desire to help and care for animals might initially seem like an enormous challenge. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you can make the best selection? Many future students start their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their homes. Once they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when comparing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are reviewing before you make a final choice. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the varied responsibilities 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

Fort Mohave Arizona veterinarian checking dog's blood pressure

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal factor will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of tasks that they can perform within the Fort Mohave AZ veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each position.

  • Vet Assistants in most cases will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from 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. Usually they are not involved with more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
  • Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast to assistants and generally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
  • Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. A number may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Fort Mohave AZ labs or research facilities also.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

Fort Mohave Arizona cat in portable kennel in veterinary clinicBy now you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you wish to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Fort Mohave AZ area and 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 potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the vet tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding screening process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a requirement for employment for many Fort Mohave AZ area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or trade school and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with online 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 complaints or infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Fort Mohave AZ vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective way to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Fort Mohave AZ veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate could suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the school has an excellent reputation within the Fort Mohave AZ veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Fort Mohave AZ colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Fort Mohave AZ home, you need to confirm that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 near or in a large city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Fort Mohave AZ. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Fort Mohave

Chosse the Right Fort Mohave Vet Technologist Program

Picking the right vet tech program is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students considering vet tech programs need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the ideal school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Fort Mohave Arizona.



 

Fort Mohave Vet Tech Colleges | Fort Mohave Veterinary Technician Schools