Veterinary Technician Degree Program
How to Choose the Best One Near Mountain View California

Fulfilling your lifelong dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Mountain View CA might at first seem like a daunting task. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a school that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about reviewing and comparing colleges so that you can make the right selection? When looking for vet tech schools, many potential students start by targeting those that are closest to their homes. When they have located some nearby schools, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are significant factors when comparing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only important ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be considered also. The main point is that before making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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Vet Technician Training Options

One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many functions that they can perform within the Mountain View CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. 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 associated with more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and usually acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently require vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires four years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

What to Ask Vet Tech Schools

By now you should have decided on which veterinarian credential 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 vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Mountain View CA area as well as across the USA, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need 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 should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, 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 a thorough review process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for many Mountain View CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Mountain View CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the schools you are considering have internship programs set up with Mountain View CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate could indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Mountain View CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Mountain View CA schools you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Mountain View CA home, you must confirm that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 near or in a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course attending online classes might 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 schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Mountain View CA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the best way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Mountain View

Chosse the Right Mountain View Vet Technologist College

Selecting the right veterinary technician program is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you pick 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 evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the ideal program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Mountain View California.

 

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