Vet Technician Program
How to Choose the Best One Near Pleasanton California

Fulfilling your lifelong goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Pleasanton CA may at first feel like an overwhelming undertaking. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you need to first search for and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. 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 aspiring students start their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their residences. Once they have located some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when evaluating vet technician schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech schools you are considering before you make a final choice. We have furnished several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the main factor will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many functions that they can carry out within the Pleasanton CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared to assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. Therefore 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 options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Some may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Pleasanton CA labs or research facilities as well.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Pleasanton CA area and across the USA, you need to 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 already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you want to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's essential that you confirm that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. 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 gone through a rigorous review process that ensures you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Pleasanton CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinarian trade school or college and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Pleasanton CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective way to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Pleasanton CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician 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 considering. A lower rate might signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the school has an excellent reputation within the Pleasanton CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Pleasanton CA colleges you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we already talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Pleasanton CA home, you have to make sure 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located near or in a larger 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 increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's important that you determine if the veterinarian schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Pleasanton CA. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family issues. You may find that an online school is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Vet Technologist in Pleasanton

Chosse the Right Pleasanton Vet Technologist College

Enrolling in the ideal veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students thinking about vet tech programs must make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients 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 profession. This goes for vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by selecting the best college, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Pleasanton California.

 

Pleasanton Vet Tech Colleges | Pleasanton Veterinary Technician Schools