Veterinary Technician College
How to Pick the Best One Near Emeryville California

Fulfilling your long term goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near Emeryville CA might at first seem like a daunting undertaking. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you need to first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the required education and training. And so that you pick the right one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are closest to their homes. Once they have found some local schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are significant concerns when assessing vet tech programs, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the programs you are evaluating. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the various roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the main determiner will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can perform within the Emeryville CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the standard veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, 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 techs in the performance of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more involved undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared to assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally 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 veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Emeryville CA labs or research facilities as well.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Available

An option that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using multiple methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Emeryville CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for instance for traveling and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just confirm that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online vet tech program may be the ideal choice for you.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

By now you probably have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Emeryville CA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough review process that ensures 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 obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a requirement for employment for a number of Emeryville CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet college or trade school and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations 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 tip, call some Emeryville CA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Emeryville CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate might indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Emeryville CA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Emeryville CA programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might 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 relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we previously covered location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Emeryville CA home, you need to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's imperative that you find out if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Emeryville CA. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm 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 work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet training into your active life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Emeryville

Enroll in the Right Emeryville Veterinary Technologist College

Picking the right vet tech school is an important first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students looking into vet tech schools must make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the ideal college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Emeryville California.

 

Emeryville Veterinary Technician Schools | Emeryville Online Vet Tech Programs