Veterinary Technician Training
How to Find the Right One Near Delano California

Achieving your long term dream of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Delano CA might at first feel like an overwhelming task. After all, you must find and enroll in a college that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle assessing and contrasting programs so that you can make the ideal choice? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their residences. When they have found some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important considerations when assessing vet tech schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the programs you are examining. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the various roles of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Training Options

One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many tasks that they can perform within the Delano CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive training in contrast to assistants and typically acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more involved tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes 4 years to complete. Therefore 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 career opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required 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. Some may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Delano CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered

An alternative that may be a solution for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while going to veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The educational program is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Delano CA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, for example for traveling and study supplies, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech program may be the perfect choice for you.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you wish to obtain, 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 technical schools in the Delano CA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to choose a school that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, 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 screening process that verifies you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a requirement for employment for a number of Delano CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet college or vocational school and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Delano CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Delano CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A lower rate may suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Delano CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big 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. Find out from the Delano CA programs you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Okay, 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 Delano CA home, you need to make sure that the commuting 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 college is located near or in a large city. Also, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you determine if the vet schools you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Delano CA. Others might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to work, sickness or family emergencies. You may find that an online school is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Delano

Enroll in the Best Delano Veterinary Technologist College

Choosing the ideal vet tech college is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students considering vet tech colleges need to make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on 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 excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the ideal school, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Delano California.

 

Delano Veterinary Technician Schools | Delano Online Vet Tech Programs