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

Finding a veterinary technician school near Cupertino CA to achieve your heartfelt goal to help and care for animals might initially seem like an enormous task. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training and education. But just how do you approach evaluating and contrasting programs so that you can make the correct selection? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their homes. After they have identified some area colleges, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important concerns when evaluating veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are reviewing before you make an ultimate selection. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Degree Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are many duties that they can perform within the Cupertino CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the conventional veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases 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 trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual 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 extensive training compared with assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more involved duties, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to earn 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 higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists can 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  Cupertino CA laboratories or research facilities also.

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered

An option that might be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered through the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Cupertino CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, for example for travel and study supplies, may be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online vet tech program may be the perfect choice for you.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

At this point you should have determined which veterinary credential that you wish to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Cupertino CA area and across the USA, you need to ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a college 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 considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the vet tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, 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 rigorous review process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Cupertino CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on 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 infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Cupertino CA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the colleges 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 beneficial regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local vet community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the college has an excellent reputation within the Cupertino CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Cupertino CA programs you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Yes, we already talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Cupertino CA home, you have to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do decide 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 online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you find out if the vet schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Cupertino CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Cupertino

Enroll in the Right Cupertino Veterinary Technologist College

Picking the ideal vet tech school is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech programs must make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Cupertino California.

 

Cupertino Veterinary Technician Schools | Cupertino Online Vet Tech Programs