Vet Technician College
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Sacramento California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Sacramento CA to achieve your passionate desire to help and care for our pets may initially seem like an enormous challenge. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about analyzing and comparing schools so that you can make the best choice? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by searching for schools that are near their homes. When they have identified some local schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are significant considerations when assessing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are reviewing before you make an ultimate choice. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the varied roles of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal factor will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Sacramento CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, 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 completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more involved activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training in contrast to assistants and normally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complex duties, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and for the most part perform the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you probably have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Sacramento CA area and across the USA, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you want to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the vet tech program 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). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding screening process that confirms you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Sacramento CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with online 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 grievances or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, call some Sacramento CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about 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 training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs established with Sacramento CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local vet community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A lower rate could mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could signify that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Sacramento CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might indicate 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 probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Sacramento CA programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Sacramento CA home, you must confirm that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or near a large city. In addition, 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 give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Sacramento CA. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies. You may find that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your active life.

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

Chosse the Right Sacramento Vet Technologist College

Selecting the appropriate vet tech college is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students considering veterinary technician programs need to make their decision based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the ideal school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Sacramento California.

 

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