Vet Technician College
How to Pick the Right One Near Los Gatos California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Los Gatos CA to fulfill your lifelong goal to work with and care for our pets might initially feel like an overwhelming challenge. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the necessary education and training. But just how do you tackle evaluating and comparing colleges so that you can make the best choice? Many future students launch their due diligence process by looking for schools that are close to their residences. When they have located some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. 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 evaluating. We have furnished several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll go over the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests 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 a number of duties that they can perform within the Los Gatos CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through 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 execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast to assistants and generally acquire a 2 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 fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

At this point you probably have selected which veterinary degree that you wish to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Los Gatos CA area as well as across the USA, you should ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to enroll in a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician college 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 undergone a demanding review process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for a number of Los Gatos CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with internet school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations relating to your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, call some Los Gatos CA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best way to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Los Gatos CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the program has an excellent reputation within the Los Gatos CA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Los Gatos CA schools you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Okay, we previously covered location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Los Gatos CA home, you have to make certain 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 college is located in or close by a large city. In addition, 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 state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes may be an alternative 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 ascertain if the veterinary schools you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Los Gatos CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm 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, sickness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Los Gatos

Chosse the Right Los Gatos Veterinary Technologist School

Selecting the ideal vet tech school is a crucial first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Students looking into vet tech programs need to make their decision based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's essential that you choose 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 included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the ideal school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Los Gatos California.

 

Los Gatos Vet Tech Colleges | Los Gatos Veterinary Technician Schools