Vet Technician Training Program
How to Find the Right One Near Mountain View California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Mountain View CA to fulfill your heartfelt goal to help and care for our pets may from the start seem like an overwhelming task. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. But just how do you approach analyzing and comparing colleges so that you can make the right choice? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their residences. When they have located some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important factors when comparing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as 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 presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training options 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 have to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal factor will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of duties that they can perform within the Mountain View CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most instances 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 vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complicated undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. 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 carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years. So the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. A number may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Mountain View CA laboratories or research facilities also.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian credential that you would like to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Mountain View CA area as well as across the United States, you must ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to enroll in a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Mountain View CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on online 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 infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final tip, phone some Mountain View CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs set up with Mountain View CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the practical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate might suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy 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 signify that the program has an excellent reputation within the Mountain View CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Mountain View CA schools you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback from students relating to 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?  Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Mountain View CA home, you have 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or close by a larger city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet programs you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Mountain View CA. Some might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Technician in Mountain View

Enroll in the Best Mountain View Veterinary Technologist School

Choosing the right veterinary technician school is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into vet tech programs need to make their selection 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 animal patients when needed. As we have covered, 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 vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the right program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Mountain View California.

 

Mountain View Vet Tech Colleges | Mountain View Veterinary Technician Schools