Vet Technician Training Program
How to Pick the Right One Near Prescott Valley Arizona

Finding a veterinary technician school near Prescott Valley AZ to fulfill your lifelong goal to help and provide medical treatment for our pets might initially feel like an enormous challenge. After all, you must search for and enroll in a college that will furnish the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. When checking out vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes. When they have found some area schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important factors when evaluating veterinary technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are examining. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll go over the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the principal factor will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many duties that they can perform within the Prescott Valley AZ veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the typical vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice 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 technicians in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and usually earn 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 duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are included in more complicated duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. 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 required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years. So the only real 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 required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists may 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  Prescott Valley AZ laboratories or research facilities also.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you probably have determined which veterinary credential that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Prescott Valley AZ area and across the USA, you need to ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to enroll in a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive review process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a precondition for employment for many Prescott Valley AZ area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on internet school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Prescott Valley AZ vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs set up with Prescott Valley AZ veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may mean that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Prescott Valley AZ vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might indicate that the training is not highly thought of 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. Find out from the Prescott Valley AZ schools you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Okay, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Prescott Valley AZ home, you must confirm that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's imperative that you find out if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate 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 Prescott Valley AZ. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the best way to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Prescott Valley

Enroll in the Best Prescott Valley Veterinary Technologist Program

Selecting the right vet tech program is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into vet tech colleges must make their decision based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options 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 Prescott Valley Arizona.

 

Prescott Valley Vet Tech Colleges | Prescott Valley Veterinary Technician Schools