Veterinary Technician Degree Program
How to Pick the Best One Near Cupertino California

Fulfilling your lifelong dream of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a vet tech school near Cupertino CA may initially seem like a daunting task. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will furnish the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach assessing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the best choice? When looking for vet tech schools, many potential students begin by targeting the ones that are nearest to their homes. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important factors when assessing vet tech programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The main point is that before making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the varied duties of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Tech Training Options

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main determiner will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can perform within the Cupertino CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard veterinarian 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 cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by finishing 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 execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training in contrast to assistants and generally earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and basically carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years. So the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Things to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary degree that you want to attain, 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 Cupertino CA area as well as across the USA, you must ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's essential that you make sure that the vet tech college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive review 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 a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a requirement for employment for a number of Cupertino CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations 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 suggestion, phone some Cupertino CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Cupertino CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help build connections in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate could signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Cupertino CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Cupertino CA schools you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we already discussed 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 Cupertino CA home, you need to confirm that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate 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 school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's essential that you find out if the veterinary schools you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Cupertino CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of work, sickness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Cupertino

Chosse the Best Cupertino Veterinary Technologist School

Selecting the appropriate vet tech college is an important first step to starting a gratifying career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students looking into vet tech schools must make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Cupertino California.

 

Cupertino Vet Tech Colleges | Cupertino Veterinary Technician Schools