Veterinary Technician Degree
How to Choose the Best One Near Los Altos California

Fulfilling your long term aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Los Altos CA may at first seem like a challenging undertaking. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a school that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle assessing and contrasting programs so that you can make the correct selection? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their homes. After they have identified some local schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when assessing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician programs you are reviewing before you make a final decision. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the varied roles of vet techs and the training options offered.

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

Vet Tech Education Options

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Los Altos CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training in contrast to assistants and usually obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated functions, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years. So the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Los Altos CA laboratories or research facilities also.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Programs

At this point you should have selected which veterinary degree that you wish to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Los Altos CA area and across the USA, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to enroll in a college 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 need to ask the vet tech schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's important that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, one of 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 demanding review process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a prerequisite for employment for many Los Altos CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final tip, contact some Los Altos CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective way to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs established with Los Altos CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help develop relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A lower rate might suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some 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 high placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Los Altos CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could mean 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 in size, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Los Altos CA schools you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Los Altos CA home, you have to make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or near a larger 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 higher tuition charges particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's imperative that you determine if the vet colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Los Altos CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Tech in Los Altos

Chosse the Best Los Altos Veterinary Technologist College

Enrolling in the right veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to starting a rewarding career providing treatment and care for animals. Students thinking about veterinary technician programs must make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. 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 narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Los Altos California.

 

Los Altos Vet Tech Colleges | Los Altos Veterinary Technician Schools