Vet Technician Training
How to Pick the Right One Near East Palo Alto California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near East Palo Alto CA to fulfill your heartfelt desire to help and provide medical treatment for animals might initially feel like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you must locate and enroll in a school that will furnish the necessary training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. And in order to pick the best one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. When checking out vet tech programs, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes. Once they have located some area colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are significant considerations when evaluating veterinary technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician schools you are considering before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the varied roles of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Technician Degree Options

One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many duties that they can perform within the East Palo Alto CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialty.

• 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 graduating from a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex functions, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years. So the main distinction 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 additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  East Palo Alto CA laboratories or research facilities also.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you want to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the East Palo Alto CA area and across the USA, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a school 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 schools that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of East Palo Alto CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. 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 pointers include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final tip, get in touch with some East Palo Alto CA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best way to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs established with East Palo Alto CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate could indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the East Palo Alto CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the East Palo Alto CA colleges you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Okay, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your East Palo Alto CA home, you need to make certain that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or close by a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinarian programs you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near East Palo Alto CA. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online school is the best solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in East Palo Alto

Enroll in the Right East Palo Alto Veterinary Technologist School

Choosing the ideal veterinary technician school is a crucial 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 work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the best program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in East Palo Alto California.

 

East Palo Alto Vet Tech Colleges | East Palo Alto Veterinary Technician Schools