Veterinary Technician College
How to Select the Right One Near East Palo Alto California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near East Palo Alto CA to achieve your passionate goal to work with and care for animals may from the start feel like an enormous task. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a college that will furnish the necessary training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. And so that you pick the right one you must research and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many future students start their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their residences. Once they have identified some local colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are significant considerations when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your assessments. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The main point is that before making a selection, you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the various roles of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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Vet Technician Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are many duties that they can carry out within the East Palo Alto CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a vocational 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 associated with more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared to assistants and generally earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets 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 surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. A number may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  East Palo Alto CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian credential that you would like to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the East Palo Alto CA area as well as across the United States, you need to ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet Program 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 stated, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous review process that verifies you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a requirement for employment for many East Palo Alto CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or trade school and program you choose should have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. 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 checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, phone some East Palo Alto CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs set up with East Palo Alto CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate might indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the school has an excellent reputation within the East Palo Alto CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the East Palo Alto CA programs you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Okay, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your East Palo Alto CA home, you need to confirm that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, 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 near or in a large city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's essential that you determine if the veterinarian colleges you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near East Palo Alto CA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities. You may find that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Technician in East Palo Alto

Chosse the Best East Palo Alto Veterinary Technologist School

Enrolling in the right vet tech college is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students looking into veterinary technician programs must make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the right school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in East Palo Alto California.

 

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