Veterinary Technician Degree Program
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Lafayette California

Achieving your lifelong dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Lafayette CA might at first feel like a daunting undertaking. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you must first search for and finally enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training and education. And so that you pick the right one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. When checking out vet tech schools, the majority of students start by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes. After they have identified some nearby colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are significant factors when comparing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you want to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the main determiner will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many jobs that they can carry out within the Lafayette CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the typical vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared to assistants and typically acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. So the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you should have selected which veterinary degree that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Lafayette CA area as well as across the United States, you need to ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to enroll in a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier 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 demanding review process that ensures you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for many Lafayette CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet college or vocational school and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on online school ranking 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 regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Lafayette CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Lafayette 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 beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate may mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may mean that the school has an excellent reputation within the Lafayette CA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate 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 bigger, you most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Lafayette CA schools you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for 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 Campus Located?  Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Lafayette CA home, you have to make certain 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 college is located near or in a large city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's essential that you determine if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Lafayette CA. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your active life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Lafayette

Enroll in the Best Lafayette Veterinary Technologist School

Enrolling in the right veterinary technician school is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students looking into vet tech schools need to make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative tasks and assist 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 excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the ideal program, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Lafayette California.

 

Lafayette Vet Tech Schools Near Me | Lafayette Vet Tech Programs