Veterinary Technician Training
How to Choose the Right One Near Berkeley California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Berkeley CA to achieve your lifelong goal to help and provide medical treatment for our pets may initially feel like an enormous task. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first locate and finally enroll in a school that will provide the required education and training. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. When looking for vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes. When they have found some nearby schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important concerns when evaluating vet tech programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated also. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Technician Degree Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are many functions that they can carry out within the Berkeley CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing 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. Generally they are not involved with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared with assistants and typically earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent 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 included in more complex functions, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years to complete. So 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, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may obtain 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 should have selected which veterinarian credential that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Berkeley CA area as well as across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the vet tech college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a prerequisite for employment for many Berkeley CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include checking with internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Berkeley CA veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Berkeley CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program 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 reviewing. A lower rate could indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Berkeley CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Berkeley CA programs you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Yes, we previously discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Berkeley CA home, you have to confirm that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, 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 near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Berkeley CA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Technologist in Berkeley

Chosse the Right Berkeley Vet Technologist School

Choosing the right veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech schools must make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Berkeley California.

 

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