Vet Technician College
How to Select the Best One Near Auburn California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Auburn CA to achieve your lifelong goal to work with and provide medical treatment for our pets may initially seem like an enormous challenge. After all, you need to 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 so that you pick the best one you must research and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. When looking for vet tech programs, the majority of students start by targeting the ones that are closest to their homes. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are significant factors when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The main point is that before making a selection, you must complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll go over the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

Among the first decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous duties that they can perform within the Auburn CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing 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 involved with more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and generally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also 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. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Auburn CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Programs Available

An alternative that might be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while going to veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Auburn CA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for traveling and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make certain that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

At this point you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Auburn CA area and across the United States, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the veterinary technician college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous screening process that ensures you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a requirement for employment for a number of Auburn CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, phone some Auburn CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs set up with Auburn CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate might suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may signify that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Auburn CA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Auburn CA colleges you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Auburn CA home, you have to confirm that the driving time is compatible with 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 larger city. Also, 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 especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you determine if the veterinary colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Auburn CA. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies. You may find that an online school is the best way to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Vet Technologist in Auburn

Enroll in the Best Auburn Veterinary Technologist College

Choosing the ideal veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician programs need to make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Auburn California.

 

Auburn Veterinary Technician Schools | Auburn Online Vet Tech Programs