Veterinary Technician Training
How to Select the Right One Near Rosemead California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Rosemead CA to fulfill your lifelong desire to help and provide medical treatment for our pets might initially seem like an enormous challenge. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a school that will deliver the proper training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. And so that you pick the best one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many potential students begin their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their residences. Once they have located some local schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant considerations when evaluating vet technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make a final selection. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll go over the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training options available.

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

Vet Technician Degree Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of jobs that they can perform within the Rosemead CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each position.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared to assistants and generally earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic 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 involved duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Many may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Rosemead CA labs or research facilities as well.

What to Ask Vet Tech Programs

At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian credential that you want to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Rosemead CA area as well as across the USA, you need to ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, 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 demanding review process that ensures you will get a quality 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 colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Rosemead CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with online school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, phone some Rosemead CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Rosemead CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the practical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local vet community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate might mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the college has an excellent reputation within the Rosemead CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective 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. Solicit from the Rosemead CA programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students relating to 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 School Located?  Yes, we already covered location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Rosemead CA home, you must make sure that the driving 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 school is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do choose to attend 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 classes online might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet colleges you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Rosemead CA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family emergencies. You may find that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Rosemead

Chosse the Right Rosemead Vet Technologist School

Selecting the ideal vet tech college is an important first step to starting a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the right college, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Rosemead California.

 

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