Vet Technician Degree Program
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Newark California

Fulfilling your lifelong goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Newark CA might initially feel like a daunting endeavor. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training and education. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many potential students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their homes. Once they have found some nearby schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when evaluating vet technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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Vet Technician Degree Options

Among the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the main determiner will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many tasks that they can perform within the Newark CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard 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 specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complicated tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared with assistants and normally acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist 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 also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

What to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

By now you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Newark CA area and across the United States, you must ask some qualifying 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 tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to enroll in a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, one of the most highly regarded 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 ensures you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a requirement for employment for many Newark CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final pointer, phone some Newark CA veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the schools you are considering have internship programs established with Newark CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A low rate might suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed 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 might indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Newark CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Newark CA schools you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback 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 Campus Located?  Okay, we already covered location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Newark CA home, you need to make certain that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's imperative that you determine if the veterinarian colleges you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Newark CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss because of sickness, work or family issues. You might find that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Tech in Newark

Enroll in the Right Newark Veterinary Technologist School

Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech program is an important first step to starting a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students looking into vet tech programs must make their decision based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as 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 profession. This applies to online vet tech colleges 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 choice. And by picking the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Newark California.

 

Newark Vet Tech Colleges | Newark Veterinary Technician Schools