Veterinary Technician Degree
How to Pick the Best One Near Bakersfield California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Bakersfield CA to fulfill your lifelong goal to work with and provide medical treatment for animals might from the start seem like an enormous task. After all, you must search for and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle analyzing and comparing colleges so that you can make the ideal selection? Many potential students start their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. Once they have identified some local colleges, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important factors when assessing vet technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are looking at before you make a final selection. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the varied roles of vet techs and the training options available.

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Vet Tech Training Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is if you desire to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the main factor will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can perform within the Bakersfield CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, 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 performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and typically acquire 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 fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are included in more complicated duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part perform the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes 4 years. So the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. A number may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Bakersfield CA labs or research facilities also.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you probably have selected which veterinary degree that you want to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Bakersfield CA area as well as across the USA, you should ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough review 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 numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Bakersfield CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or trade school and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Bakersfield CA veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with Bakersfield CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by way of 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 job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate might 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 assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Bakersfield CA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance 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. Request from the Bakersfield CA schools you are researching 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 students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of 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 commute to your vet tech classes from your Bakersfield CA home, you need to make certain that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges particularly for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's imperative that you find out if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Bakersfield CA. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Bakersfield

Enroll in the Right Bakersfield Vet Technologist School

Enrolling in the ideal vet tech program is a crucial first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students looking into vet tech schools must make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech colleges 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 decision. And by picking the right program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Bakersfield California.

 

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