Veterinary Technician College
How to Pick the Right One Near Castro Valley California

Achieving your long term aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Castro Valley CA could at first seem like a challenging endeavor. After all, you must find and enroll in a college that will provide the appropriate training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the best choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. When they have identified some local schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when assessing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make a final decision. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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Vet Tech Education Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Castro Valley 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 away from the standard vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few 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 get more advanced training compared to assistants and generally acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes 4 years to complete. So the only real difference 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, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Castro Valley CA labs or research facilities as well.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered

An approach that might be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available through the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Castro Valley CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, for instance for traveling and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom programs. Just make sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech school may be the ideal option for you.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Castro Valley 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 mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other important qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select 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 colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough screening process that verifies 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 programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a precondition for employment for many Castro Valley CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on online school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Castro Valley CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Castro Valley CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish 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 associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A low rate might signify that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Castro Valley CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Castro Valley CA colleges you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students regarding 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 School Located?  Okay, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Castro Valley CA home, you have to confirm that the driving time is compatible with 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, particularly if the college is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's imperative that you find out if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Castro Valley CA. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family issues. You might find that an online school is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Tech in Castro Valley

Enroll in the Right Castro Valley Veterinary Technologist College

Selecting the right veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students considering veterinary technician schools must make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals 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 pick 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 provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the ideal college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Castro Valley California.

 

Castro Valley Veterinary Technician Schools | Castro Valley Online Vet Tech Programs