Vet Technician School
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Clovis California
Choosing a veterinary technician school near Clovis CA to fulfill your heartfelt goal to work with and care for our pets may from the start feel like an enormous task. After all, you must find and enroll in a school that will deliver the proper training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about analyzing and comparing programs so that you can make the best selection? When looking for vet tech programs, many potential students begin by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes. After they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when comparing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your assessments. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are reviewing before you make a final choice. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll go over the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training options available.
IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Vet Technician Degree Options
One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you want to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main determiner will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many duties that they can carry out within the Clovis CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialty.
- 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 vocational school or community college. 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 complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
- Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared with assistants and typically obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complex duties, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
- Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Clovis CA labs or research facilities as well.
Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools
By now you should have decided on which veterinary credential that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Clovis CA area as well as across the Country, you should ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to enroll in a program that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are reviewing.
Is the Vet School Accredited? It's important that you verify that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, 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 get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for many Clovis CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Clovis CA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They might even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs arranged with Clovis CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program may 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 indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the school has an excellent reputation within the Clovis CA vet community and has a substantial 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 a failure at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Clovis CA schools you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Clovis CA home, you have to make sure 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, especially if the college is located in or close by a larger city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet programs you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Clovis CA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or later 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 as a result of work, sickness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.
Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Clovis
Enroll in the Right Clovis Vet Technologist College
Enrolling in the ideal veterinary technician school is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for animals. Potential students considering veterinary technician programs must make their selection based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the right program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Clovis California.