Veterinary Technician College
How to Choose the Best One Near Redwood City California

Fulfilling your long term goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Redwood City CA might initially feel like a daunting endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a college that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach assessing and comparing schools so that you can make the proper selection? When checking out vet tech programs, many potential students begin by targeting the ones that are closest to their homes. Once they have located some local schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important considerations when evaluating vet technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership 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 ought to be asking the vet technician programs you are considering before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the different roles of vet techs and the training options offered.

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, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the principal factor will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many jobs that they can carry out within the Redwood City CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs 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 functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast 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 vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental 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 complex functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states currently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four 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 career options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Many may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Redwood City CA laboratories or research facilities also.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you should have determined which veterinary degree that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Redwood City CA area and across the USA, you should ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding review process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Redwood City CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with internet school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Redwood City CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs established with Redwood City CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate could suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed 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 might indicate that the school has an excellent reputation within the Redwood City CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Redwood City CA schools you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Yes, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Redwood City CA home, you must confirm that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or close by a large city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in 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. On the other hand, attending classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's important that you find out if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Redwood City 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. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family issues. You might discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Redwood City

Enroll in the Right Redwood City Vet Technologist College

Selecting the right veterinary technician college is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career providing care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician schools must make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Redwood City California.

 

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