Veterinary Technician School
How to Select the Best One Near Costa Mesa California

Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech school near Costa Mesa CA could at first seem like an overwhelming task. After all, you need to find and enroll in a college that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. And in order to pick the right one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. When looking for vet tech schools, the majority of students start by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes. After they have located some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important factors when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are reviewing before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives 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 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 main determiner will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are numerous duties that they can carry out within the Costa Mesa CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, such as 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 almost all instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared to assistants and generally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states currently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years to complete. So the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Available

An approach that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided through the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Costa Mesa CA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, for instance for travel and study supplies, can be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just make certain that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal choice for you.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

By now you probably have decided on which veterinary credential that you would like to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Costa Mesa CA area and across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's essential that you confirm that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough screening process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is often a requirement for employment for a number of Costa Mesa CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on online school rating websites and contacting 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 recommendation, get in touch with some Costa Mesa CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Costa Mesa CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate might mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Costa Mesa CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Costa Mesa CA programs you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Costa Mesa 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 in or close by a large city. Also, if you do choose to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's imperative that you find out if the vet schools you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough 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 Costa Mesa CA. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family issues. You might find that an online program is the best way to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Technician in Costa Mesa

Chosse the Right Costa Mesa Veterinary Technologist Program

Selecting the appropriate veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to starting a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students considering vet tech programs need to make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients 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 schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Costa Mesa California.

 

Costa Mesa Vet Tech Programs | Costa Mesa How To Become A Vet Tech