Vet Technician School
How to Find the Best One Near Arcadia California

Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Arcadia CA may initially feel like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you need to find and enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach analyzing and contrasting schools so that you can make the right choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their homes. When they have identified some area colleges, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important factors when comparing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered as well. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the different roles of vet techs 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 decision might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal factor will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Arcadia CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the standard vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing 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 completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared to assistants and normally earn a two 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 veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved functions, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently require vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically perform the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced 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 examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Arcadia CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

By now you should have selected which veterinary degree that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Arcadia CA area as well as across the USA, you need to ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a rigorous review process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a prerequisite for employment for many Arcadia CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet college or trade school and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Arcadia CA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Arcadia CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate could mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Arcadia CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Arcadia CA schools you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Arcadia CA home, you must make certain that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do choose 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 might be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinarian programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Arcadia CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family issues. You may discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Tech in Arcadia

Chosse the Best Arcadia Veterinary Technologist Program

Selecting the ideal vet tech college is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students thinking about veterinary technician colleges must make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients 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 schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by selecting the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Arcadia California.

 

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