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

Realizing your long term aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Mountain View CA may at first seem like a daunting endeavor. After all, you have to find and enroll in a program that will furnish the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare all of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech schools, many potential students start by targeting the ones that are closest to their homes. After they have found some area colleges, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when comparing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be looked into also. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the different roles of vet techs and the training options available.

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Vet Technician Education Options

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Mountain View CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most cases will have gone through 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 completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared to assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved functions, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet technicians 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  Mountain View CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Available

An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are offered by means of the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The educational program is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Mountain View CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, for example for travel and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian degree that you would like to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Mountain View CA area as well as across the Country, you should ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that confirms you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Mountain View CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on online 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 violations concerning your specific schools. As a final recommendation, call some Mountain View CA veterinary clinics that you may wish 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 most effective way to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the colleges you are considering have internship programs arranged with Mountain View CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate might signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may signify that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Mountain View CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Mountain View CA schools you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to attend some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Mountain View CA home, you must make certain 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 campus is located in or close by a large city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in 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 may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you find out if the veterinarian programs you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Mountain View CA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Mountain View

Chosse the Best Mountain View Veterinary Technologist School

Choosing the appropriate vet tech program is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about vet tech programs must make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Mountain View California.

 

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