Vet Technician Program
How to Choose the Right One Near Placerville California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Placerville CA to achieve your passionate desire to work with and care for animals might initially seem like an enormous challenge. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first search for and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the necessary education and training. But just how do you tackle reviewing and contrasting schools so that you can make the best selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. After they have identified some area schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant considerations when assessing vet tech programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership 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 important qualifications of the programs you are evaluating. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

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

Vet Tech Training Options

Among the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous duties that they can carry out within the Placerville CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the conventional vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training in contrast to assistants and usually obtain 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 basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated duties, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years to complete. So the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Things to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you probably have determined which veterinary credential that you would like to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Placerville CA area as well as across the United States, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's important that you confirm that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, among 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 ensures you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Placerville CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on online school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your targeted schools. As a final pointer, call some Placerville CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with Placerville CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate may signify that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Placerville CA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Placerville 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 teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Placerville CA home, you need 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 school is located in or close by a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's important that you determine if the veterinary programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Placerville CA. Some may only be able to go to classes 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 may miss because of illness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Placerville

Enroll in the Best Placerville Vet Technologist School

Choosing the ideal veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students considering veterinary technician schools must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative 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 schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Placerville California.

 

Placerville Vet Tech Colleges | Placerville Veterinary Technician Schools