Vet Technician Degree Program
How to Find the Right One Near Camp Pendleton South California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Camp Pendleton South CA to achieve your lifelong desire to help and care for our pets might initially feel like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach reviewing and contrasting schools so that you can make the best choice? When checking out vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by targeting the ones that are closest to their homes. When they have located some local schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are significant concerns when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered also. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are examining. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

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

Vet Tech Training Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal factor will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of duties that they can perform within the Camp Pendleton South CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites 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 completing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and usually earn 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 general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more involved activities, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and for the most part perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years. So the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Vet Tech Online Schools Available

An option that might be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using various methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Camp Pendleton South CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, such as for traveling and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Camp Pendleton South CA area as well as across the USA, you need to ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's essential that you confirm that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive review process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Camp Pendleton South CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet trade school or college and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations relating to your targeted schools. As a final tip, contact some Camp Pendleton South CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They might even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best way to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Camp Pendleton South CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help build connections in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program can 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 considering. A low rate may indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the school has an excellent reputation within the Camp Pendleton South CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could indicate that the training is not highly 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 receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Camp Pendleton South CA programs you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Camp Pendleton South CA home, you have to make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located near or in a larger 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 costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes could 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 ascertain if the veterinary schools you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Camp Pendleton South CA. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities. You might find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in Camp Pendleton South

Enroll in the Best Camp Pendleton South Vet Technologist College

Picking the appropriate veterinary technician college is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students considering veterinary technician colleges must make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and assist 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 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 narrow down your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Camp Pendleton South California.

 

Camp Pendleton South Veterinary Technician Schools | Camp Pendleton South Online Vet Tech Programs