Vet Technician Degree
How to Find the Best One Near Los Altos California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Los Altos CA to achieve your lifelong desire to help and provide medical treatment for animals may from the start feel like an enormous task. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a program that will deliver the necessary training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. And so that you pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. When checking out vet tech schools, many potential students begin by targeting those that are closest to their homes. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important factors when comparing vet technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be considered also. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the programs you are evaluating. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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Vet Tech Training Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary factor will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous functions that they can carry out within the Los Altos CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each position.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern 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 veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared to assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently require vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years. So the main difference 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 also required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you want to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Los Altos CA area as well as across the USA, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other significant qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the veterinary technician program you select 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 rigorous screening process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a precondition for employment for many Los Altos CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian trade school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations involving your specific schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Los Altos CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend one or more schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Los Altos CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local vet community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate could signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could indicate that the program has an excellent reputation within the Los Altos CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate 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, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Los Altos CA programs you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Los Altos CA home, you need to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, 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 near a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Los Altos CA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of work, sickness or family issues. You might discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Los Altos

Chosse the Right Los Altos Veterinary Technologist Program

Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students looking into veterinary technician colleges need to make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for 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 picking the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Los Altos California.

 

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