Veterinary Technician Training
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Dublin California
Choosing a veterinary technician school near Dublin CA to achieve your passionate goal to work with and provide medical treatment for our pets may from the start seem like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you need to find and enroll in a college that will furnish the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle analyzing and contrasting schools so that you can make the ideal selection? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. After they have identified some area schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are significant factors when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be looked into also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician schools you are looking at before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the various responsibilities of vet techs and the training options available.
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Vet Technician Training Options
One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Dublin CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialization.
- Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing 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. Usually they are not associated with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
- Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared with assistants and generally acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years to complete. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Many may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Dublin CA labs or research facilities also.
Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs
At this point you probably have determined which veterinary degree that you want to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Dublin CA area and across the USA, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other important qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to enroll in a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.
Is the Vet School Accredited? It's essential that you make sure that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough screening process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Dublin CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The veterinary college or vocational school and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and checking 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 tip, contact some Dublin CA veterinarians that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest some colleges not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The best approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs set up with Dublin CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help establish relationships in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a position after graduation.
Is Job Placement Offered? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate might mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Dublin CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Dublin CA programs you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the Campus Located? Of course, we already talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Dublin CA home, you must make sure that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located close by or within 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 higher tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Dublin CA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of sickness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.
Learn More About Becoming a Vet Tech in Dublin
Chosse the Right Dublin Vet Technologist College
Picking the ideal veterinary technician college is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for animals. Potential students looking into veterinary technician programs must make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Dublin California.