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

Finding a veterinary technician school near Irvine CA to achieve your heartfelt desire to work with and care for animals might initially seem like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you need to find and enroll in a college that will deliver the proper training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. 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 schools, the majority of students start by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important considerations when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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Vet Tech Training Options

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the principal factor will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Irvine CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and training requirements for each position.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal 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 to assistants and usually acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are included in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

By now you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you want to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Irvine CA area and across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's essential that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, 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 thorough review process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Irvine CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final tip, call some Irvine CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive 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 get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Irvine CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech college can 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 reviewing. A low rate may mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Irvine CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Irvine CA colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Irvine CA home, you must make sure that the driving time fits into 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, especially if the school is located in or near a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you find out if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate 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 Irvine CA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family issues. You may discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your active life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Irvine

Chosse the Best Irvine Veterinary Technologist Program

Selecting the appropriate vet tech college is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Students looking into vet tech schools must make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for 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 selection. And by choosing the right school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Irvine California.

 

Irvine Vet Tech Colleges | Irvine Veterinary Technician Schools