Vet Technician Program
How to Find the Right One Near Norwalk California

Fulfilling your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Norwalk CA may initially seem like a daunting endeavor. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you need to first search for and finally enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training and education. And in order to pick the best one you must evaluate and compare each of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech programs, the majority of students start by targeting those that are nearest to their homes. After they have found some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when assessing vet technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation should be considered also. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous duties that they can perform within the Norwalk CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each position.

• 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 trade 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. Usually they are not associated with more complicated undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared to assistants and generally acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are involved in more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years. Therefore the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. A number may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Norwalk CA labs or research facilities as well.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you probably have decided on which veterinarian degree that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Norwalk CA area and across the USA, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 a demanding screening process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Norwalk CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, call some Norwalk CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs established with Norwalk CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate may mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some 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 high placement rate could indicate that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Norwalk CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you most likely will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Norwalk CA programs you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Okay, we previously 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 Norwalk CA home, you need to make sure that the commuting 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 college is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you determine if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Norwalk CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family responsibilities. You might find that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Norwalk

Enroll in the Right Norwalk Vet Technologist School

Picking the ideal veterinary technician school is an important first step to starting a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students looking into vet tech schools need to make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Norwalk California.

 

Norwalk Vet Tech Colleges | Norwalk Veterinary Technician Schools