Veterinary Technician Degree
How to Find the Right One Near Palo Alto California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Palo Alto CA to fulfill your passionate desire to help and care for our pets might initially feel like an enormous task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a college that will provide the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about assessing and contrasting schools so that you can make the proper choice? When checking out vet tech programs, many potential students begin by targeting the ones that are closest to their homes. When they have identified some nearby schools, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when assessing vet technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the programs you are assessing. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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Vet Tech Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many duties that they can carry out within the Palo Alto CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the conventional vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each position.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex activities, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially perform the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years. 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 career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Palo Alto CA labs or research facilities also.

What to Ask Vet Tech Programs

At this point you should have determined which veterinary degree that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Palo Alto CA area and across the USA, you must ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough review process that confirms you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is frequently a precondition for employment for many Palo Alto CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Palo Alto CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs set up with Palo Alto CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A lower rate may suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Palo Alto CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Palo Alto CA schools you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Palo Alto CA home, you need to confirm that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 near or in a large city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's imperative that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Palo Alto CA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Vet Tech in Palo Alto

Chosse the Right Palo Alto Vet Technologist College

Enrolling in the appropriate vet tech school is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech programs must make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the right program, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Palo Alto California.

 

Palo Alto Vet Tech Colleges | Palo Alto Veterinary Technician Schools