Veterinary Technician College
How to Find the Right One Near Lake Havasu City Arizona

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Lake Havasu City AZ to fulfill your lifelong desire to help and care for our pets might initially feel like an overwhelming challenge. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first locate and finally enroll in a school that will provide the required training and education. And in order to pick the right one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you are considering. Many potential students begin their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their homes. Once they have identified some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are significant concerns when assessing vet technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be looked into also. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the programs you are assessing. We have presented several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is if you desire to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous duties that they can carry out within the Lake Havasu City AZ veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, 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 technicians in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training in contrast to assistants and generally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered

An option that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while going to veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered over the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Lake Havasu City AZ veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, such as for commuting and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just make sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech program may be the ideal option for you.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

By now you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you wish to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Lake Havasu City AZ area and across the United States, you need to ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to enroll in a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the vet tech college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, one of the most highly regarded 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 verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Lake Havasu City AZ area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include checking with 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 grievances or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Lake Havasu City AZ veterinarians that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs established with Lake Havasu City AZ veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate could suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Lake Havasu City AZ veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not well 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 may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Lake Havasu City AZ colleges you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we already talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Lake Havasu City AZ home, you have to confirm that the driving time is compatible with 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 in or close by a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the vet schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Lake Havasu City AZ. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family issues. You might find that an online college is the best solution to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Technician in Lake Havasu City

Enroll in the Right Lake Havasu City Veterinary Technologist College

Selecting the right vet tech college is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students thinking about veterinary technician programs must make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent 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 reduce your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Lake Havasu City Arizona.

 

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