Vet Technician School
How to Choose the Right One Near Commerce California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Commerce CA to achieve your heartfelt goal to work with and care for animals might initially feel like an enormous challenge. After all, you must search for and enroll in a program that will deliver the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. And in order to pick the best one you must research and compare all of the schools you are considering. Many potential students begin their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their homes. Once they have found some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are significant considerations when assessing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are reviewing. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the principal determiner will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are many jobs that they can perform within the Commerce CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a formal 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 vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with assistants and generally acquire 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 veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years to complete. 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 opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you should have determined which veterinary credential that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Commerce CA area as well as across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to enroll in a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a requirement for employment for a number of Commerce CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your targeted schools. As a final tip, phone some Commerce CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with Commerce CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require 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 can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A low rate could mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the college has an excellent reputation within the Commerce CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Commerce CA schools you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Commerce CA home, you need to make certain 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located near or in a large 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 charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's important that you find out if the veterinarian programs you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Commerce CA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Tech in Commerce

Chosse the Right Commerce Vet Technologist Program

Picking the appropriate vet tech college is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students considering vet tech colleges must make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Commerce California.

 

Commerce Vet Tech Colleges | Commerce Veterinary Technician Schools