Vet Technician Training
How to Pick the Best One Near Menlo Park California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Menlo Park CA to fulfill your heartfelt goal to help and care for animals might from the start seem like an enormous challenge. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a program that will furnish the appropriate training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. And in order to pick the best one you must evaluate and compare each of the schools you are considering. When checking out vet tech programs, the majority of students begin by targeting those that are closest to their homes. Once they have identified some area colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are significant considerations when assessing vet technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech schools you are considering before you make a final choice. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous tasks that they can carry out within the Menlo Park CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training in contrast to assistants and typically earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Things to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you probably have determined which veterinary degree that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Menlo Park CA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a requirement for employment for a number of Menlo Park CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on online school rating 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 recommendation, get in touch with some Menlo Park CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs established with Menlo Park CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech school can 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 may mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Menlo Park CA veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Menlo Park CA schools you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications 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 make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Menlo Park CA home, you must confirm that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located close by or within a large city. Also, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Menlo Park CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, sickness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online school is the best way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Menlo Park

Enroll in the Right Menlo Park Vet Technologist Program

Selecting the ideal vet tech college is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students looking into veterinary technician programs need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Menlo Park California.

 

Menlo Park Vet Tech Colleges | Menlo Park Veterinary Technician Schools