Veterinary Technician School
How to Find the Right One Near Oxnard California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Oxnard CA to achieve your passionate desire to help and care for our pets might from the start seem like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a college that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare all of the schools you are considering. Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their homes. Once they have found some area colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important factors when comparing vet tech schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are reviewing before you make a final decision. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the different responsibilities of vet techs 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 initial decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many tasks that they can carry out within the Oxnard CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, 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 execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training in contrast to assistants and usually obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. Therefore 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 work opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required 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 emergency care. Many may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Oxnard CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you should have determined which veterinary degree that you would like to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Oxnard CA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to select a school 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 reviewing.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, among 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 rigorous screening process that verifies you will obtain a quality 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. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a prerequisite for employment for many Oxnard CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The vet college or trade school and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with online school rating 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 regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Oxnard CA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Oxnard CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the practical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate could suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the program has an excellent reputation within the Oxnard CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Oxnard CA colleges you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Oxnard CA home, you have to confirm 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 campus is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do choose to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the vet colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate 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 Oxnard CA. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may find that an online program is the best way to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Technician in Oxnard

Enroll in the Right Oxnard Vet Technologist School

Choosing the appropriate veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to starting a rewarding career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into vet tech programs need to make their decision based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Oxnard California.

 

Oxnard Vet Tech Colleges | Oxnard Veterinary Technician Schools