Veterinary Technician Training
How to Find the Best One Near Pittsburg California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Pittsburg CA to achieve your passionate goal to work with and provide medical treatment for animals might from the start feel like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a college that will provide the proper training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach assessing and comparing programs so that you can make the ideal choice? When checking out vet tech programs, the majority of students start by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes. Once they have found some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when comparing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The main point is that before making a selection, you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the programs you are evaluating. We have furnished several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the various responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Degree Options

One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many functions that they can carry out within the Pittsburg CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of 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 position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared with assistants and typically earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more involved activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years. 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 job options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered

An approach that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using several methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most vet technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Pittsburg CA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, for instance for travel and study materials, may be lower compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just make certain that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online vet tech school may be the right choice for you.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Programs

At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian credential that you want to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Pittsburg CA area as well as across the USA, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to select a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously 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 gone through 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 aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Pittsburg CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for references from the employers in their job assistance 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 department if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final tip, phone some Pittsburg CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs set up with Pittsburg CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate could signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the college has an excellent reputation within the Pittsburg CA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could 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 sized, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Pittsburg CA schools you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we previously discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Pittsburg CA home, you have to make certain that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Pittsburg CA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies. You may find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Pittsburg

Enroll in the Right Pittsburg Vet Technologist College

Enrolling in the ideal veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students thinking about vet tech programs 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 take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the right college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Pittsburg California.

 

Pittsburg Veterinary Technician Schools | Pittsburg Online Vet Tech Programs