Veterinary Technician Program
How to Pick the Best One Near Hillsborough California

Achieving your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Hillsborough CA might at first seem like a challenging undertaking. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you need to first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the required education and training. And so that you pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you are considering. When checking out vet tech programs, the majority of students start by targeting those that are closest to their homes. Once they have found some area schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into as well. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make a final decision. We have furnished several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be predicated 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 techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can perform within the Hillsborough CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have undergone a structured 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 vets and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared 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 veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. Therefore 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, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered

An option that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are offered through the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The educational program is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Hillsborough CA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, such as for commuting and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech school may be the right option for you.

What to Ask Vet Tech Programs

At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Hillsborough CA area and across the USA, you need to ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to choose a college 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 schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly regarded 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 get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Hillsborough CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Hillsborough CA veterinarians that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the colleges you are considering have internship programs set up with Hillsborough CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate might signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied 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 program has an outstanding reputation within the Hillsborough CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify 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 may get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Hillsborough CA programs you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students relating to 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 College Located?  Of course, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Hillsborough CA home, you must make certain 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's imperative that you determine if the veterinary programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Hillsborough CA. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You might find that an online school is the best solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Hillsborough

Chosse the Right Hillsborough Vet Technologist College

Choosing the right vet tech school is a crucial first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into vet tech schools need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Hillsborough California.

 

Hillsborough Veterinary Technician Schools | Hillsborough Online Vet Tech Programs