Vet Technician Degree
How to Select the Best One Near Lakewood California

Realizing your long term aspiration of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Lakewood CA could initially seem like an overwhelming task. After all, you need to find and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach assessing and comparing schools so that you can make the ideal selection? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their homes. Once they have located some nearby schools, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important considerations when assessing vet tech schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the programs you are assessing. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the various duties of vet techs and the training options available.

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Vet Technician Education Options

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of jobs that they can perform within the Lakewood CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.

• Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared to assistants and generally acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated functions, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. Therefore 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 job opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Some may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Lakewood CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you want to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Lakewood CA area as well as across the United States, you must ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you want to select a school that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening 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. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Lakewood CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary trade school or college and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, call some Lakewood CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective way to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs established with Lakewood CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided?  Getting 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 evaluating. A low rate could signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Lakewood CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Lakewood CA programs you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors 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 School Located?  Okay, we already covered location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Lakewood CA home, you have to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located in or close by a large city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for community and state 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.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Lakewood CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Technologist in Lakewood

Enroll in the Right Lakewood Veterinary Technologist School

Selecting the ideal veterinary technician school is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students thinking about vet tech programs 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 take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Lakewood California.

 

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