Veterinary Technician College
How to Find the Right One Near Menlo Park California

Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Menlo Park CA might at first seem like a challenging endeavor. 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 necessary education and training. And so that you pick the best one you must research and compare each of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech schools, many potential students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes. Once they have found some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when comparing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician programs you are considering before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the various roles of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Degree Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Menlo Park CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years. So the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered

An option that might make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while going to veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided through the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Menlo Park CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, such as for traveling and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just confirm that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you would like to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Menlo Park CA area and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other significant qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's important that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive review process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a requirement for employment for a number of Menlo Park CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet trade school or college and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations relating to your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, phone some Menlo Park CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the programs you are considering have internship programs established with Menlo Park CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help build connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate might mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the program has an excellent 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 highly regarded 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 probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Menlo Park CA schools you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we previously discussed 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 Menlo Park CA home, you need to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located close by or within 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 fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online might be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you determine if the veterinary schools you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Menlo Park CA. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of sickness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Vet Technologist in Menlo Park

Enroll in the Best Menlo Park Vet Technologist College

Picking the ideal veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students looking into veterinary technician programs need to make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech programs 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 selection. And by selecting the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Menlo Park California.

 

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