Veterinary Technician Training Program
How to Select the Right One Near Covina California
Fulfilling your long term dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Covina CA may at first feel like a challenging endeavor. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the necessary education and training. And so that you pick the best one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. When checking out vet tech programs, many potential students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are closest to their homes. When they have found some local schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant considerations when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs in addition to 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 technician schools you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have provided several within 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 alternatives available.
IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Vet Technician Training Options
Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the main determiner will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can perform within the Covina CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each position.
- Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 techs in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
- Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and usually acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Covina CA labs or research facilities also.
Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools
By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Covina CA area and across the USA, you must ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to enroll in a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.
Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It's essential that you verify that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Covina CA area vet clinics and hospitals.
What is the Program'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 colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Covina CA veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Covina CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate may indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Covina CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you may get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Covina CA colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the School Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Covina 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 commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet schools you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Covina CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family issues. You might find that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.
Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Covina
Enroll in the Best Covina Veterinary Technologist School
Picking the right vet tech college is a crucial first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students looking into vet tech programs need to make their decision based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you select 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 evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by selecting the best school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Covina California.