Veterinary Technician School
How to Find the Best One Near Lakewood California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Lakewood CA to fulfill your lifelong desire to work with and care for our pets might from the start feel like an enormous task. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a school that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle evaluating and contrasting colleges so that you can make the best choice? When looking for vet tech programs, many potential students begin by targeting the ones that are nearest to their homes. Once they have found some local schools, 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 programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make a final selection. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can carry out within the Lakewood CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared to assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially perform the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years. So the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered

An alternative that might be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using multiple methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Lakewood CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, such as for commuting and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect choice for you.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

By now you probably have selected which veterinary degree that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Lakewood CA area and across the USA, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many prospective students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other essential qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's essential that you confirm that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. 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 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 numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a prerequisite for employment for many Lakewood CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary trade school or college and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final tip, contact some Lakewood CA veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs established with Lakewood CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop relationships in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be challenging 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 lower rate could mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the school has an excellent reputation within the Lakewood CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could signify that the training is not well 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 most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Lakewood CA schools you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we previously discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Lakewood CA home, you must make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's important that you find out if the vet schools you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Lakewood CA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Lakewood

Chosse the Best Lakewood Veterinary Technologist College

Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech college is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Students thinking about vet tech schools need to make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Lakewood California.

 

Lakewood Vet Tech Programs | Lakewood How To Become A Vet Tech