Vet Technician College
How to Find the Best One Near Folsom California
Fulfilling your lifelong goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Folsom CA might at first seem like a challenging undertaking. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you must first locate and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training and education. But just how do you go about analyzing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the ideal choice? Many future students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. Once they have identified some area colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are significant factors when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are not the only critical 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 main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician schools you are reviewing before you make a final selection. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.
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Vet Technician Education Options
One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision 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 specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are many functions that they can perform within the Folsom CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or perform 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 example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialty.
- Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a formal 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. Generally they are not involved with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
- Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and usually acquire a two 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 differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more involved duties, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Folsom CA laboratories or research facilities also.
Things to Ask Vet Tech Programs
At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you wish to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Folsom CA area and across the United States, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to choose a school that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are reviewing.
Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It's imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that verifies you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Folsom CA area vet clinics and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The veterinary college or trade school and program you choose should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Folsom CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best way to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Folsom CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical 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 develop relationships in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.
Is Job Placement Offered? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate could indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may indicate that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Folsom CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective 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. Find out from the Folsom CA programs you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend 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 instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the College Located? Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Folsom CA home, you have to make certain that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college 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 online classes 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 essential that you find out if the veterinarian schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Folsom CA. Others might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of work, sickness or family issues. You might discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.
Find Out More About How to Become a Vet Technologist in Folsom
Enroll in the Best Folsom Vet Technologist Program
Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech program is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students considering veterinary technician schools need to make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the best program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Folsom California.