Vet Technician Training Program
How to Select the Best One Near Moraga California
Choosing a veterinary technician school near Moraga CA to achieve your lifelong goal to help and provide medical treatment for our pets might initially feel like an enormous task. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you need to first search for and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the required education and training. And in order to pick the best one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many potential students begin their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their homes. Once they have located some area colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech schools you are looking at before you make an ultimate choice. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about 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
One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you desire to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialty appeals to 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 although there are many functions that they can perform within the Moraga CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each position.
- Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. 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 involved with more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
- Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and normally earn 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 general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated duties, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes 4 years to complete. Therefore 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 career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Moraga CA labs or research facilities as well.
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs
At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you would like to obtain, 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 trade schools in the Moraga CA area and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a program that offers the specialty and degree 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 schools that you are considering.
Is the Vet College Accredited? It's important that you verify that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive review process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Moraga CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The veterinary trade school or college and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, phone some Moraga CA veterinarians that you may want to work for after you receive 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 best way to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs set up with Moraga CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.
Is there a Job Placement Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate may suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Moraga CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may 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 may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Moraga CA schools you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the School Located? Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Moraga CA home, you have to make certain that the driving time fits into 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 college is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do choose 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. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's essential that you find out if the vet schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Moraga CA. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss due to work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.
Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Moraga
Enroll in the Right Moraga Veterinary Technologist School
Picking the ideal veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to starting a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students looking into vet tech programs need to make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, 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 goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the ideal program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Moraga California.