Vet Technician College
How to Pick the Right One Near Palm Springs California

Achieving your lifelong dream of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Palm Springs CA might at first seem like a challenging undertaking. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training and education. But just how do you tackle analyzing and comparing colleges so that you can make the correct choice? When checking out vet tech programs, many potential students start by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes. When they have located some local colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are significant concerns when comparing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered as well. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are considering before you make an ultimate decision. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the various roles of vet techs and the training options 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 technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the main factor will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Palm Springs CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive 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 sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex functions, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically 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 only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

At this point you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Palm Springs CA area and across the United States, you should ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's imperative that you confirm that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. 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 screening process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a requirement for employment for a number of Palm Springs CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on online school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final tip, contact some Palm Springs CA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Palm Springs CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate might suggest that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Palm Springs CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might indicate 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 in size, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Palm Springs CA schools you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Palm Springs CA home, you have to make sure that the driving time fits into 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, particularly if the school is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's essential that you determine if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Palm Springs CA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later 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 as a result of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Technologist in Palm Springs

Chosse the Right Palm Springs Veterinary Technologist Program

Picking the ideal vet tech school is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career providing care and treatment for animals. Potential students considering veterinary technician schools need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Palm Springs California.

 

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