Vet Technician Training
How to Select the Best One Near Rohnert Park California

Achieving your lifelong dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech college near Rohnert Park CA may at first seem like an overwhelming task. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first search for and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the necessary education and training. But just how do you approach assessing and comparing schools so that you can make the ideal choice? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their residences. When they have located some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when assessing vet technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the varied roles of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the main determiner will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can carry out within the Rohnert Park CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, 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 veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared to assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years. So the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. A number may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Rohnert Park CA laboratories or research facilities also.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

By now you probably have decided on which veterinary credential that you wish to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Rohnert Park CA area as well as across the United States, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier 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 thorough review process that confirms you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a precondition for employment for many Rohnert Park CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or trade school and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final tip, call some Rohnert Park CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs established with Rohnert Park CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local vet community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A low rate could 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 schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Rohnert Park CA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Rohnert Park CA schools you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for evaluations from students concerning 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 Campus Located?  Of course, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Rohnert Park CA home, you must make certain that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located near or in a large 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 higher tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's essential that you determine if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Rohnert Park CA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Technologist in Rohnert Park

Enroll in the Right Rohnert Park Vet Technologist College

Selecting the ideal vet tech college is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician schools need to make their decision based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's essential 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 reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the right college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Rohnert Park California.

 

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