Vet Technician Program
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Northridge California

Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Northridge CA could at first feel like a daunting task. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you must first search for and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training and education. And so that you pick the best one you must research and compare each of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech schools, the majority of students start by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes. Once they have found some area schools, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are significant considerations when comparing vet technician schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician schools you are looking at before you make an ultimate choice. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the various roles of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you desire to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the main factor will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the Northridge CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• 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 completing a certificate program at a community college or trade 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 complex activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and generally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complex duties, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years to complete. So the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered

An approach that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered over the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Northridge CA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for instance for traveling and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech program may be the right option for you.

What to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

At this point you should have selected which veterinary credential that you wish to attain, and if you prefer 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 Northridge CA area as well as across the USA, you must ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to enroll in a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough screening process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Northridge CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The vet trade school or college and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian field. 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 pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Northridge CA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best way to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs established with Northridge CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help establish relationships in the local vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate could indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Northridge CA veterinary 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 Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Northridge CA programs you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Northridge CA home, you must make sure that the driving 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 college is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's imperative that you determine if the veterinary programs you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Northridge CA. Some might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Technologist in Northridge

Enroll in the Right Northridge Vet Technologist Program

Picking the appropriate veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future 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 commonly take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for 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 choices so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the right school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Northridge California.

 

Northridge Veterinary Technician Schools | Northridge Online Vet Tech Programs