Vet Technician Degree
How to Choose the Best One Near Fountain Valley California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Fountain Valley CA to achieve your heartfelt desire to help and care for animals may from the start seem like an enormous task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a college that will provide the necessary training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach assessing and contrasting programs so that you can make the correct choice? When looking for vet tech programs, many potential students start by targeting the ones that are closest to their homes. When they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when comparing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the programs you are evaluating. We have presented several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians 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 first decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal factor will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the Fountain Valley CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex functions, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and basically perform the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes four years to complete. 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 career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Many may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Fountain Valley CA labs or research facilities also.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Available

An option that might be a solution for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are offered through the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using various methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Fountain Valley CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for example for travel and study supplies, can be cheaper compared to more standard classroom courses. Just make certain that the online school that you enroll in 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 complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech program may be the perfect option for you.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you wish 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 Fountain Valley CA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered 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 confirm that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding review process that confirms you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a requirement for employment for many Fountain Valley CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on online 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 grievances or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final suggestion, call some Fountain Valley CA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs set up with Fountain Valley CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate could suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study 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 may mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Fountain Valley CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Fountain Valley CA programs you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Fountain Valley CA home, you have to make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate 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 large city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's imperative that you ascertain if the veterinarian programs you are looking at 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 at night near Fountain Valley CA. Some might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in Fountain Valley

Chosse the Best Fountain Valley Vet Technologist College

Choosing the ideal veterinary technician college is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students looking into veterinary technician schools need to make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's essential that you pick 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 narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by selecting the best program, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Fountain Valley California.

 

Fountain Valley Veterinary Technician Schools | Fountain Valley Online Vet Tech Programs