Veterinary Technician College
How to Select the Right One Near Palo Alto California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Palo Alto CA to achieve your lifelong desire to help and provide medical treatment for animals might from the start seem like an overwhelming challenge. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you need to first search for and finally enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training and education. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you are considering. Many potential students begin their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their homes. After they have located some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are significant factors when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs need to be looked into as well. 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 examining. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

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

Vet Tech Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference may be based 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 techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate 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 conditions, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent 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 engaged in more complicated duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently require vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years. So the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. A number may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Palo Alto CA laboratories or research facilities also.

Vet Tech Online Schools Available

An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using various methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Palo Alto CA veterinary 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 example for commuting and study supplies, may be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just confirm that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online vet tech school may be the ideal choice for you.

What to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

By now you probably have selected which veterinary degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Palo Alto CA area as well as across the United States, you need to ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Palo Alto CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on online school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Palo Alto CA veterinarians that you may want to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Palo Alto CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A lower rate could suggest 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 ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Palo Alto CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean that the training is not highly regarded 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 may get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Palo Alto CA programs you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Palo Alto CA home, you have to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's imperative that you determine if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Palo Alto CA. Some 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 available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online school is the ideal way to fit your vet education into your active life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in Palo Alto

Enroll in the Right Palo Alto Vet Technologist School

Selecting the right vet tech program is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career providing treatment and care for animals. Students looking into vet tech schools need to make their decision based on a number of 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 as 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 goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Palo Alto California.

 

Palo Alto Vet Tech Programs | Palo Alto How To Become A Vet Tech