Vet Technician School
How to Find the Right One Near Palo Alto California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Palo Alto CA to achieve your passionate goal to work with and provide medical treatment for our pets may initially feel like an overwhelming task. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and finally enroll in a school that will provide the required education and training. And in order to pick the best one you must evaluate and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many future students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. After they have identified some area schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant concerns when comparing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into also. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are looking at before you make an ultimate selection. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives 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 want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the primary determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Palo Alto CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the typical veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more involved undertakings, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians get more extensive training in contrast to assistants and generally acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are included in more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet techs 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 as well.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

At this point you should have selected which veterinarian degree that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Palo Alto CA area and across the USA, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's essential that you confirm that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous review process that confirms you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a prerequisite for employment for many Palo Alto CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. 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 pointers include checking with internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final tip, phone some Palo Alto CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective means to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Palo Alto CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help build connections in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate might mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Palo Alto CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Palo Alto CA colleges you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor 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 School Located?  Okay, we already covered location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Palo Alto CA home, you have to make sure that the driving time is compatible with 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 campus is located in or near a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you determine if the vet colleges you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Palo Alto CA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, 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 college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Palo Alto

Enroll in the Best Palo Alto Vet Technologist College

Picking the right veterinary technician college is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students considering veterinary technician schools need to make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Palo Alto California.

 

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