Veterinary Technician Training
How to Find the Best One Near Calabasas California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Calabasas CA to achieve your heartfelt desire to work with and care for animals might from the start feel like an enormous challenge. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required education and training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you can make the ideal choice? When looking for vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by targeting the ones that are nearest to their homes. After they have located some area colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the programs you are assessing. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training options offered.

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

Vet Tech Education Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous duties that they can carry out within the Calabasas CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and typically obtain a 2 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 fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex functions, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes 4 years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. A number may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Calabasas CA labs or research facilities as well.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Calabasas CA area as well as across the USA, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a program 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 vet tech schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's essential that you make sure that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that verifies you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a precondition for employment for a number of Calabasas CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on 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 involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Calabasas CA veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Calabasas CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate may indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Calabasas CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean 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 in size, you may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Calabasas CA programs you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Okay, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Calabasas CA home, you have to make certain that the commuting time fits into 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, especially if the college is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you find out if the vet schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Calabasas CA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of work, sickness or family issues. You may find that an online program is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Technologist in Calabasas

Chosse the Best Calabasas Veterinary Technologist School

Picking the appropriate vet tech program is an important first step to starting a rewarding career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Calabasas California.

 

Calabasas Online Vet Tech Schools | Calabasas Vet Tech Schools