Vet Technician Degree
How to Choose the Best One Near Glendale California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Glendale CA to achieve your heartfelt desire to help and provide medical treatment for our pets may initially feel like an enormous challenge. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first search for and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required education and training. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you are considering. Many potential students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. When they have identified some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important factors when comparing vet tech schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. 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 should be asking the veterinary technician programs you are reviewing before you make an ultimate decision. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the various roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the principal factor will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many duties that they can carry out within the Glendale CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical 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 cases will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared to assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently 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 mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years. So the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Available

An approach that might be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are provided via the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Glendale CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, such as for traveling and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools

By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Glendale CA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to enroll in a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, 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 rigorous review process that confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available 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 Glendale CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting 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 pointer, call some Glendale CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Glendale CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate could mean 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 colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Glendale CA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Glendale CA schools you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Glendale CA home, you have to make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located close by or within a large 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 taking classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you find out if the veterinary schools you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Glendale CA. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Glendale

Chosse the Best Glendale Veterinary Technologist Program

Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech program is a crucial first step to starting a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for animals. Future students considering veterinary technician programs must make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to 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 choices so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Glendale California.

 

Glendale Vet Tech Programs | Glendale How To Become A Vet Tech