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

Fulfilling your long term goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Los Gatos CA may at first feel like a daunting task. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first search for and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the necessary education and training. And in order to pick the best one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you are considering. Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their residences. Once they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are significant concerns when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The main point is that before making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the programs you are reviewing. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the varied responsibilities 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 desire to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal factor will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can carry out within the Los Gatos CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each position.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by graduating from 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. Generally they are not associated with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared with assistants and normally acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years. 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 work opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. A number may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Los Gatos CA labs or research facilities also.

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered

An option that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are provided via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Los Gatos CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for instance for commuting and study supplies, can be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect option for you.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Los Gatos CA area and across the Country, you should ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous review process that ensures you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Los Gatos CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary 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 colleges you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on online school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final recommendation, call some Los Gatos CA veterinarians that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective way to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Los Gatos CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate could indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Los Gatos CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Los Gatos CA programs you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Los Gatos CA home, you need to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or close by a larger 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 charges particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Los Gatos CA. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss due to work, sickness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

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

Enroll in the Right Los Gatos Veterinary Technologist Program

Selecting the right veterinary technician program is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Students looking into vet tech programs must make their decision based on multiple 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 covered, it's essential that you select 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 provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Los Gatos California.

 

Los Gatos Vet Tech Programs | Los Gatos How To Become A Vet Tech