Veterinary Technician School
How to Enroll In 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 care for our pets might initially feel like an overwhelming challenge. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the necessary education and training. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many future students start their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their residences. Once they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when comparing veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the programs you are reviewing. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the varied duties of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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Vet Tech Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can perform within the East Palo Alto CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed 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 vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more extensive training in contrast to assistants and normally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved functions, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years. So the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered

An option that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to veterinarian school is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided through the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using multiple methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local East Palo Alto CA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for travel and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech program may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you would like to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the East Palo Alto CA area and across the USA, you must ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for many East Palo Alto CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you choose should have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final tip, call some East Palo Alto CA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best way to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs arranged with East Palo Alto CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate could signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the East Palo Alto CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might 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 larger, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the East Palo Alto CA colleges you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your East Palo Alto CA home, you need to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or close by a larger city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in 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 online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you determine if the veterinarian colleges you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near East Palo Alto CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to 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 discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in East Palo Alto

Enroll in the Best East Palo Alto Vet Technologist School

Choosing the appropriate vet tech school is an important first step to starting a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students looking into vet tech schools must make their selection based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in East Palo Alto California.

 

East Palo Alto Vet Tech Programs | East Palo Alto How To Become A Vet Tech