Veterinary Technician Training Program
How to Pick the Right One Near Lake Arrowhead California

Realizing your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Lake Arrowhead CA may at first feel like a challenging undertaking. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the necessary education and training. But just how do you go about assessing and contrasting schools so that you can make the ideal choice? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their homes. Once they have found some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to 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 schools you are evaluating. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Degree Options

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous tasks that they can carry out within the Lake Arrowhead CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complicated tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training in contrast to assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years. So the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

By now you should have selected which veterinarian degree that you would like to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Lake Arrowhead CA area and across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's important that you confirm that the vet tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous screening process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Lake Arrowhead CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers 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 concerning your targeted schools. As a final pointer, contact some Lake Arrowhead CA veterinarians that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs established with Lake Arrowhead CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A low rate may suggest that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the program has an excellent reputation within the Lake Arrowhead CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Lake Arrowhead CA colleges you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Okay, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Lake Arrowhead CA home, you must make certain 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Lake Arrowhead CA. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online school is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Vet Tech in Lake Arrowhead

Enroll in the Right Lake Arrowhead Vet Technologist School

Choosing the right veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for animals. Students thinking about veterinary technician schools must make their selection based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's very important 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 assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the ideal school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Lake Arrowhead California.

 

Lake Arrowhead Online Vet Tech Schools | Lake Arrowhead Vet Tech Schools