Vet Technician Program
How to Choose the Best One Near Fremont California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Fremont CA to fulfill your passionate goal to help and provide medical treatment for animals may initially seem like an enormous challenge. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. And in order to pick the best one you must research and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. After they have located some local colleges, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important factors when comparing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are reviewing before you make a final decision. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the different roles of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Education Options

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the main determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of tasks that they can perform within the Fremont CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have gone through 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 techs in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more extensive training in contrast to assistants and typically earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian 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 involved tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years to complete. 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 work opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required 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 acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Fremont CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered

An option that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available over the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Fremont CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, such as for commuting and study supplies, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect option for you.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

By now you should have selected which veterinary credential that you want to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Fremont CA area as well as across the USA, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a school that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive review process that ensures you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Fremont CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The vet college or vocational school and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school rating 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 infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Fremont CA veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with Fremont CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish associations in the local vet community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A lower rate may mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. 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 school has an excellent reputation within the Fremont CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate 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 sized, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Fremont CA colleges you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Fremont CA home, you need to make sure that the driving time is compatible with 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, especially if the campus is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinary schools you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Fremont 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 may miss as a result of work, sickness or family issues. You may find that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Vet Technologist in Fremont

Enroll in the Right Fremont Vet Technologist School

Selecting the ideal veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to starting a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician colleges must make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals 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 profession. This applies to online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the ideal college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Fremont California.

 

Fremont Veterinary Technician Schools | Fremont Online Vet Tech Programs