Vet Technician Degree
How to Choose the Best One Near Mission Viejo California

Achieving your lifelong dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Mission Viejo CA could at first seem like a daunting endeavor. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the required education and training. But just how do you approach analyzing and contrasting programs so that you can make the ideal selection? When looking for vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are closest to their homes. When they have identified some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are significant factors when comparing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are reviewing before you make an ultimate decision. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training options available.

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

Vet Technician Degree Options

Among the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the principal factor will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Mission Viejo CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical vet practice, such as 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 the majority of instances will have gone through a formal 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 performance of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complicated undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared with assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more involved functions, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and basically perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years. Therefore the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Mission Viejo CA labs or research facilities also.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Mission Viejo CA area as well as across the United States, you must ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a prerequisite for employment for many Mission Viejo CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting 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 suggestion, call some Mission Viejo CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They might even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Mission Viejo CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help build connections in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate might signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Mission Viejo CA veterinarian community and has a substantial 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 get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Mission Viejo CA schools you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Mission Viejo CA home, you must make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 large city. In addition, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's imperative that you determine if the veterinarian colleges you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Mission Viejo CA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You may find that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Mission Viejo

Enroll in the Right Mission Viejo Veterinary Technologist School

Choosing the ideal vet tech program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students looking into veterinary technician schools must make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Mission Viejo California.

 

Mission Viejo Vet Tech Colleges | Mission Viejo Veterinary Technician Schools