Veterinary Technician Training
How to Select the Right One Near Oakland California
Finding a veterinary technician school near Oakland CA to fulfill your heartfelt desire to help and provide medical treatment for our pets may from the start seem like an enormous task. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you can make the right selection? When looking for vet tech schools, many potential students begin by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes. After they have located some local colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important factors when comparing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are evaluating before you make a final selection. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.
IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Vet Tech Degree Options
Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can perform within the Oakland CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.
- Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing 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 completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
- Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared to assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are included in more involved activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Oakland CA laboratories or research facilities as well.
Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered
An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Oakland CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, such as for travel and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online vet tech program may be the ideal option for you.
Things to Ask Vet Tech Schools
At this point you should have decided on which veterinary credential that you want to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Oakland CA area and across the Country, you must ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to enroll in a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech schools that you are reviewing.
Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It's essential that you confirm that the veterinary technician program you enroll in 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 undergone a rigorous review process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Oakland CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online 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 complaints or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final suggestion, call some Oakland CA veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some colleges not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The most effective means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Oakland CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local vet community and help in the search for employment after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Oakland CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Oakland CA schools you are considering 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 teachers and students. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the School Located? Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Oakland CA home, you must make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are considering 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 Oakland CA. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.
Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Oakland
Enroll in the Best Oakland Vet Technologist School
Selecting the appropriate vet tech college is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students considering vet tech colleges must make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the best college, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Oakland California.