Veterinary Technician Degree
How to Find the Best One Near Fountain Hills Arizona

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Fountain Hills AZ to achieve your passionate goal to help and care for animals might from the start feel like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you have to find and enroll in a program that will provide the appropriate training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. And so that you pick the best one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you are considering. When checking out vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes. Once they have identified some local schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important concerns when assessing vet tech programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician programs you are considering before you make a final selection. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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Vet Technician Degree Options

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the main factor will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are numerous functions that they can carry out within the Fountain Hills AZ veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the standard veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and usually acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent 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 included in more involved activities, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered

An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using several methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Fountain Hills AZ veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, such as for travel and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just make certain that the online school that you select 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 dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect choice for you.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Fountain Hills AZ area as well as across the USA, you must ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding review process that confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a requirement for employment for many Fountain Hills AZ area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you enroll in should have an excellent 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 assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Fountain Hills AZ vet clinics 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 one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best way to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Fountain Hills AZ veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local vet community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate may mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Fountain Hills AZ veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could indicate that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Fountain Hills AZ schools you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Fountain Hills AZ home, you have to confirm that the commuting time is compatible with 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 college is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do choose to attend 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 may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's essential that you find out if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Fountain Hills AZ. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of sickness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Fountain Hills

Chosse the Right Fountain Hills Veterinary Technologist School

Selecting the right vet tech program is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Potential students considering vet tech programs need to make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Fountain Hills Arizona.

 

Fountain Hills Veterinary Technician Schools | Fountain Hills Online Vet Tech Programs