Vet Technician School
How to Choose the Right One Near Marana Arizona

Finding a veterinary technician school near Marana AZ to fulfill your heartfelt goal to work with and care for our pets may initially seem like an enormous task. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a college that will furnish the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. And so that you pick the best one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their residences. After they have located some local colleges, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when assessing vet tech schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the programs you are reviewing. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you want 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 invest in your training, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Marana AZ veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive 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 vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years to complete. So 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, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary credential that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Marana AZ area as well as across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other important qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that ensures you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Marana AZ area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary trade school or college and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on internet 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 concerning your specific schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Marana AZ veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best way to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Marana AZ veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate could indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could indicate that the college has an excellent reputation within the Marana AZ veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Marana AZ programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Marana AZ home, you must confirm that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located in or close by a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes could 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 imperative that you ascertain if the vet programs you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible 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 Marana AZ. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family issues. You may find that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Vet Technician in Marana

Enroll in the Right Marana Vet Technologist School

Picking the right veterinary technician college is an important first step to starting a rewarding career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students considering veterinary technician programs must make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech programs 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 choice. And by picking the ideal program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Marana Arizona.

 

Marana Vet Tech Colleges | Marana Veterinary Technician Schools