Veterinary Technician Degree Program
How to Select the Best One Near Redding California
Finding a veterinary technician school near Redding CA to fulfill your lifelong desire to help and care for our pets may from the start seem like an enormous task. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you need to first search for and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training and education. But just how do you tackle reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the ideal selection? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their residences. After they have identified some local colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when assessing vet technician schools, they are by no means 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 location and cost. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are reviewing before you make a final selection. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the different duties of vet techs and the training options available.
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Vet Tech Education Options
Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the principal determiner will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous tasks that they can perform within the Redding CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each position.
- Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
- Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and typically obtain a 2 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 veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated functions, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real difference 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 potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Redding CA laboratories or research facilities also.
Vet Tech Online Schools Available
An alternative that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are offered via the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using multiple methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Redding CA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for example for travel and study materials, can be lower compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the right option for you.
What to Ask Vet Tech Programs
At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian credential that you want to earn, and if you want 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 Redding CA area and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And obviously 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 should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.
Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It's important that you make sure that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive review process that ensures you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Redding CA area vet clinics and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with online school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Redding CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend one or more schools 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 clinical setting. Find out if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Redding CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a position after graduation.
Is Job Assistance Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate may indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the college has an excellent reputation within the Redding CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could signify that the training is not highly thought of 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 may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Redding CA colleges you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students relating to 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 Campus Located? Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Redding CA home, you must confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located in or close by 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 increased tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Redding CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family issues. You might find that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.
Learn More About How to Become a Vet Technician in Redding
Enroll in the Right Redding Veterinary Technologist College
Picking the ideal vet tech college is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students considering vet tech colleges must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the right school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Redding California.