Vet Technician School
How to Find the Best One Near Placerville California

Fulfilling your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Placerville CA might initially feel like an overwhelming undertaking. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you must first search for and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. And in order to pick the best one you must research and compare each of the schools you are considering. When checking out vet tech programs, many potential students start by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered as well. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the various roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous duties that they can carry out within the Placerville CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. 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 involved with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive training in contrast to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complex functions, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years. 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 career options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet technicians and technologists may 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  Placerville CA labs or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered

An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Placerville CA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for instance for travel and study materials, can be lower compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal choice for you.

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you probably have determined which veterinary credential that you would like to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Placerville CA area and across the Country, you need to ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, 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 demanding screening process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Placerville CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations involving your specific schools. As a final tip, call some Placerville CA veterinarians that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Placerville CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate might indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Placerville CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Placerville CA colleges you are considering 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 instructors and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Placerville CA home, you need to confirm that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's imperative that you find out if the veterinarian colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Placerville CA. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of work, sickness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet education into your active life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in Placerville

Chosse the Right Placerville Vet Technologist School

Selecting the right veterinary technician program is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students considering vet tech colleges need to make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the ideal college, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Placerville California.

 

Placerville Vet Tech Schools | Placerville Vet Tech Schools Online