Vet Technician Program
How to Pick the Right One Near Northridge California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Northridge CA to achieve your passionate desire to help and provide medical treatment for animals might initially feel like an enormous task. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first search for and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the required education and training. But just how do you tackle reviewing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the best selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. Once they have identified some area schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important factors when assessing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The main point is that before making a selection, you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll go over the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW

Vet Technician Degree Options

Among the first decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous jobs that they can perform within the Northridge CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from 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. Normally they are not involved with more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated functions, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years to complete. So 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 opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. A number may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Northridge CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools

By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Northridge CA area and across the Country, you must ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive screening process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a precondition for employment for a number of Northridge CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in should have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Northridge CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Northridge CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help build connections in the local veterinarian community and help 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. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate could suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could indicate that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Northridge CA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Northridge CA colleges you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Northridge CA home, you need to confirm 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or near a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you determine if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Northridge CA. Some might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family issues. You may find that an online college is the best way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Technician in Northridge

Enroll in the Right Northridge Veterinary Technologist School

Selecting the ideal vet tech program is a critical first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Students thinking about vet tech schools need to make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and support 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 excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the ideal college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Northridge California.

 

Northridge Vet Tech Colleges | Northridge Veterinary Technician Schools