Veterinary Technician College
How to Select the Right One Near Novato California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Novato CA to fulfill your heartfelt desire to help and care for our pets might from the start feel like an overwhelming task. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a program that will deliver the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. And so that you pick the right one you must evaluate and compare each of the schools you are considering. Many future students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. Once they have located some nearby schools, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are significant factors when assessing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. 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 prior to making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the programs you are evaluating. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the various responsibilities of vet techs and the training options available.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main determiner will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many functions that they can carry out within the Novato CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated duties, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Novato CA labs or research facilities also.

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered

An alternative that might be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Novato CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for instance for traveling and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is provided 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 right option for you.

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Novato CA area and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough review process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a requirement for employment for many Novato CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies 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 pointer, get in touch with some Novato CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best way to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Novato CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate might signify that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Novato CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could mean that the training is not well 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 most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Novato CA programs you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Novato CA home, you must make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located near or in a large 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 fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course attending online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you find out if the vet schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Novato CA. Some may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities. You may find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

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

Enroll in the Best Novato Vet Technologist Program

Enrolling in the right vet tech program is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students looking into veterinary technician schools need to make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the best college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Novato California.

 

Novato Veterinary Technician Schools | Novato Online Vet Tech Programs