Vet Technician School
How to Pick the Right One Near Downey California
Finding a veterinary technician school near Downey CA to achieve your passionate goal to work with and care for our pets may from the start feel like an enormous challenge. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you need to first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training and education. And so that you pick the best one you must research and compare all of the schools you are considering. Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. After they have located some area colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important factors when assessing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the programs you are assessing. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.
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Vet Tech Training Options
One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are numerous functions that they can carry out within the Downey CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each position.
- Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more involved tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
- Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably 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 vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated duties, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires four years. 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 work options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Downey CA laboratories or research facilities as well.
Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools
At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian credential that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Downey CA area and across the United States, you must ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other essential qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.
Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It's essential that you verify that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding review process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for many Downey CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.
What is the College's Reputation? The veterinary college or trade school and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with online school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final suggestion, call some Downey CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? 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 programs you are considering have internship programs established with Downey CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.
Is there a Job Assistance Program? Searching for 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 schools you are evaluating. A lower rate might mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may indicate that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Downey CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean 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 larger sized, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Downey CA colleges you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the School Located? Okay, we previously covered location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Downey CA home, you have to make certain 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, particularly if the campus is located close by or within 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 higher tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet colleges 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 go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Downey CA. Some may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.
Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Downey
Enroll in the Right Downey Vet Technologist School
Selecting the appropriate veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students thinking about vet tech programs need to make their decision based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's essential that you enroll in 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 evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the best school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Downey California.