Veterinary Technician Degree
How to Pick the Best One Near Oro Valley Arizona

Fulfilling your lifelong aspiration of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Oro Valley AZ might at first seem like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a school that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach assessing and comparing colleges so that you can make the right choice? Many potential students start their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their homes. When they have identified some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are significant factors when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated also. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech programs you are reviewing before you make an ultimate choice. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

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Vet Tech Education Options

Among the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of jobs that they can perform within the Oro Valley AZ veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a structured 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 trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive training in contrast to assistants and typically obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and basically carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years. Therefore the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated 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. Some may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Oro Valley AZ labs or research facilities as well.

What to Ask Vet Tech Schools

By now you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Oro Valley AZ area and across the United States, you must ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other significant qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to select a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a requirement for employment for many Oro Valley AZ area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The vet trade school or college and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, call some Oro Valley AZ vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Oro Valley AZ veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate may signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may indicate that the college has an excellent reputation within the Oro Valley AZ veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Oro Valley AZ programs you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously 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 Oro Valley AZ home, you must make sure that the commuting 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, particularly if the college is located in or close by a larger city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Oro Valley AZ. Others might only be able to go to class in the morning or 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 due to illness, work or family emergencies. You may find that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in Oro Valley

Enroll in the Right Oro Valley Vet Technologist College

Choosing the appropriate vet tech school is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students thinking about veterinary technician programs must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you pick 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 reduce your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Oro Valley Arizona.

 

Oro Valley Vet Tech Colleges | Oro Valley Veterinary Technician Schools