Veterinary Technician School
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Jurupa Valley California

Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Jurupa Valley CA may initially seem like an overwhelming task. After all, you must locate and enroll in a college that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle evaluating and comparing schools so that you can make the right choice? When checking out vet tech programs, the majority of students start by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes. After they have identified some local schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important factors when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be considered also. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician programs you are looking at before you make a final selection. We have furnished several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

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

Vet Technician Degree Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you want to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many duties that they can perform within the Jurupa Valley CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the conventional vet 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 almost all 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 vets and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more involved undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared with assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic 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 involved duties, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher 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 exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Jurupa Valley CA labs or research facilities also.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you would like to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Jurupa Valley CA area as well as across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need 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 colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, among 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 rigorous screening process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for a number of Jurupa Valley CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or trade school and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with 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 complaints or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Jurupa Valley CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Jurupa Valley CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A lower rate might signify that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied 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 higher placement rate could mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Jurupa Valley CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Jurupa Valley CA colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students concerning 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 College Located?  Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Jurupa Valley CA home, you must make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinarian colleges you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Jurupa Valley CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family issues. You may find that an online college is the best way to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Jurupa Valley

Enroll in the Right Jurupa Valley Veterinary Technologist School

Enrolling in the appropriate veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Students looking into vet tech schools need to make their decision based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Jurupa Valley California.

 

Jurupa Valley Vet Tech Colleges | Jurupa Valley Veterinary Technician Schools