Vet Technician Training
How to Choose the Best One Near Glendale Arizona

Fulfilling your long term aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Glendale AZ could at first seem like a challenging endeavor. After all, you must locate and enroll in a college that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach analyzing and comparing programs so that you can make the correct selection? When checking out vet tech programs, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are closest to their homes. When they have found some nearby colleges, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant considerations when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. We have furnished 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 options available.

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

Vet Tech Education Options

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal determiner will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous functions that they can carry out within the Glendale AZ veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the typical vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through 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 sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complex activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and for the most part perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you want to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Glendale AZ area as well as across the USA, you must ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician college you choose 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 rigorous screening process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for many Glendale AZ area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on online school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final recommendation, call some Glendale AZ veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Glendale AZ veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate could mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Glendale AZ vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Glendale AZ schools you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Of course, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Glendale AZ home, you need to make certain that the driving time fits into 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 college is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's imperative that you determine if the veterinary colleges you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Glendale AZ. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Technician in Glendale

Enroll in the Best Glendale Veterinary Technologist School

Enrolling in the right veterinary technician college is a critical first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for animals. Potential students considering vet tech schools need to make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals when 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 colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by selecting the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Glendale Arizona.

 

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