Veterinary Technician Training
How to Choose the Right One Near Fremont California
Choosing a veterinary technician school near Fremont CA to fulfill your lifelong desire to help and care for animals may initially feel like an overwhelming challenge. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you must first search for and finally 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 all of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. After they have located some local schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant concerns when evaluating vet tech schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are examining. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the different roles of vet techs and the training options available.
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Vet Technician Degree Options
Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the main determiner will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are numerous duties that they can perform within the Fremont CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional vet 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 most instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, 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 veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
- Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared to assistants and normally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years to complete. So the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Fremont CA labs or research facilities as well.
Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered
An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Fremont CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for example for travel and study materials, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you enroll in 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 dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online vet tech school may be the perfect choice for you.
Questions to Ask Vet Tech Programs
By now you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Fremont CA area and across the USA, you need to ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective 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 obviously you want to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.
Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It's important that you make sure that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, among 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 rigorous screening process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is frequently a requirement for employment for a number of Fremont CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on online 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 regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Fremont CA veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend one or more schools not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The best approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Fremont CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local vet community and aid 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 difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate might indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Fremont CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Fremont CA schools you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Fremont CA home, you need to make sure 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 commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.
Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the vet colleges you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Fremont CA. Some might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your active life.
Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Fremont
Chosse the Best Fremont Veterinary Technologist Program
Choosing the right vet tech school is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students considering vet tech programs need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the ideal program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Fremont California.