Veterinary Technician Program
How to Pick the Best One Near Mesa Arizona
Choosing a veterinary technician school near Mesa AZ to fulfill your lifelong goal to help and care for animals may initially feel like an overwhelming task. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you must first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the necessary education and training. And so that you pick the best one you must evaluate and compare each of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech programs, the majority of students start by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes. After they have found some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.
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Vet Tech Education Options
One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you desire to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the primary factor will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can carry out within the Mesa AZ veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos 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 apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
- Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared to assistants and typically acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved functions, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 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 job options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required 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 emergency care. Many may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Mesa AZ labs or research facilities as well.
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges
At this point you should have determined which veterinary degree that you want to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Mesa AZ area and across the USA, you must ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.
Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It's essential that you verify that the veterinary technician school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is in many cases a requirement for employment for a number of Mesa 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 exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Mesa AZ veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend one or more programs not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best approach to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Mesa AZ veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local vet community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.
Is there a Job Placement Program? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging 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 may indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could indicate that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Mesa AZ veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Mesa AZ colleges you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding 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 previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Mesa AZ home, you have to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, 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. Also, if you do choose to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.
Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it's essential that you find out if the veterinary schools you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Mesa AZ. Others might only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, sickness or family emergencies. You might find that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.
Learn More About Becoming a Vet Technologist in Mesa
Enroll in the Right Mesa Vet Technologist Program
Selecting the ideal veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career providing care and treatment for animals. Future students thinking about veterinary technician colleges need to make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties 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 excellent reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Mesa Arizona.