Veterinary Technician Degree
How to Choose the Best One Near Burlingame California

Achieving your long term goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Burlingame CA may initially feel like a challenging task. After all, you must search for and enroll in a college that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle evaluating and comparing programs so that you can make the best choice? When checking out vet tech programs, many potential students start by targeting those that are closest to their homes. When they have found some local schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when evaluating vet tech programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the varied roles of vet techs and the training options available.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can perform within the Burlingame CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the standard vet 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 community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more involved activities, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and for the most part perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years. So the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you should have selected which veterinary credential that you want to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Burlingame CA area as well as across the United States, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a school 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 vet tech schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier 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 confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for many Burlingame CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Burlingame CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are considering have internship programs established with Burlingame CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A low rate might signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the school has an excellent reputation within the Burlingame CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Burlingame CA programs you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Burlingame CA home, you must 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or near 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 higher tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's important that you determine if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Burlingame CA. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online school is the best solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Technologist in Burlingame

Enroll in the Best Burlingame Veterinary Technologist College

Choosing the ideal veterinary technician program is an important first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students looking into veterinary technician schools must make their decision based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the ideal school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Burlingame California.

 

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