Veterinary Technician Program
How to Choose the Best One Near Berkeley California

Fulfilling your long term aspiration of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Berkeley CA may at first seem like an overwhelming endeavor. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you must first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. But just how do you go about reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the proper choice? When looking for vet tech programs, many potential students start by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes. Once they have found some area schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when evaluating vet technician programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician 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 discuss them we'll go over the various roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal factor will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the Berkeley CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.

• Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complicated undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex activities, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Many may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Berkeley CA laboratories or research facilities also.

What to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you probably have decided on which veterinarian credential that you would like to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Berkeley CA area and across the USA, you should ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the veterinary technician school you select 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 a thorough screening process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Berkeley CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you select must have an excellent 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 suggestions include checking with internet school rating 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 concerning your targeted schools. As a final pointer, contact some Berkeley 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 suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best way to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs set up with Berkeley CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate may suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Berkeley CA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Berkeley CA colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Berkeley CA home, you must make certain that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you find out if the veterinary programs you are considering 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 in the evenings near Berkeley CA. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain 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 illness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online school is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Vet Technician in Berkeley

Enroll in the Best Berkeley Veterinary Technologist Program

Picking the appropriate vet tech college is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students thinking about vet tech programs must make their selection based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you enroll in 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 reduce your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the right school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Berkeley California.

 

Berkeley Vet Tech Colleges | Berkeley Veterinary Technician Schools