Veterinary Technician School
How to Select the Best One Near Inglewood California

Realizing your long term goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Inglewood CA might initially feel like a challenging endeavor. After all, you must find and enroll in a college that will deliver the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. And so that you pick the best one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes. When they have found some nearby colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when assessing vet technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be considered also. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the programs you are evaluating. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the main determiner will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many functions that they can carry out within the Inglewood CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard 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 position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases 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 community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared with assistants and generally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist 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 additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Things to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Inglewood CA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, 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 rigorous screening process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Inglewood CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include checking with internet school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Inglewood CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend one or more schools 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 clinical environment. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs established with Inglewood CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate might indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may indicate that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Inglewood CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not highly 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 most likely will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Inglewood CA schools you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we already talked about 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 Inglewood CA home, you have 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located near or in 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 higher tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's imperative that you find out if the veterinary schools you are exploring 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 in the evenings near Inglewood CA. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your vet education into your active life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Inglewood

Chosse the Right Inglewood Vet Technologist School

Enrolling in the ideal vet tech school is an important first step to starting a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students looking into vet tech programs must make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the right school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Inglewood California.

 

Inglewood Vet Tech Colleges | Inglewood Veterinary Technician Schools