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Veterinary Technician Degree
How to Choose the Right One Near Gilbert Arizona

Gilbert Arizona dog with large ears wearing coneFinding a veterinary technician school near Gilbert AZ to achieve your heartfelt goal to work with and provide medical treatment for animals might from the start feel like an overwhelming challenge. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first search for and finally enroll in a program that will provide the necessary education and training. But just how do you tackle evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the correct choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their residences. After they have found some local colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into as well. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the various duties of vet techs and the training options offered.

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Vet Technician Degree Options

Gilbert Arizona veterinarian checking dog's blood pressure

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a vet 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 training, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Gilbert AZ veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. 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 education requirements for each specialization.

  • Vet Assistants in most cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from 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 completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
  • Vet Technicians get more extensive training in contrast to assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently require vet technicians 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 obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

Gilbert Arizona cat in carrier in veterinary clinicBy now you should have determined which veterinary credential that you want to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Gilbert AZ area as well as across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, one of 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 confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for many Gilbert AZ area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on online school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Gilbert AZ vet clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs established with Gilbert AZ veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate could indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the program has an excellent reputation within the Gilbert AZ vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Gilbert AZ programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Yes, we already covered location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Gilbert AZ home, you need to make sure that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you determine if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to accommodate 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 Gilbert AZ. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, find out 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 ideal solution to fit your vet training into your active life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Technician in Gilbert

Chosse the Best Gilbert Veterinary Technologist School

Enrolling in the right veterinary technician college is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician colleges must make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Gilbert Arizona.



 

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