Veterinary Technician Degree Program
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Los Gatos California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Los Gatos CA to fulfill your heartfelt desire to help and care for animals might initially feel like an enormous challenge. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first search for and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. And so that you pick the right one you must evaluate and compare each of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech programs, the majority of students start by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes. When they have identified some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important concerns when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician programs you are evaluating before you make a final choice. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Training Options

One of the first 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 training, but the main factor will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many tasks that they can perform within the Los Gatos CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the conventional veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared to assistants and generally acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic 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 involved duties, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part perform the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

What to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you probably have determined which veterinary degree that you would like to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Los Gatos CA area as well as across the USA, you must ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's essential that you make sure that the vet tech college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, among the most highly respected 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 quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Los Gatos CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or trade school and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with online 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 specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Los Gatos CA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective way to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs established with Los Gatos CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate could indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Los Gatos CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could indicate that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Los Gatos CA colleges you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students relating to 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 Campus Located?  Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Los Gatos CA home, you have to make sure that the commuting 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 school is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a school 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, taking online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's imperative that you find out if the vet schools you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Los Gatos CA. Others might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You might find that an online college is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in Los Gatos

Enroll in the Right Los Gatos Vet Technologist School

Picking the right veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to beginning a gratifying career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students considering veterinary technician schools must make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's very important 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 reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Los Gatos California.

 

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