Vet Technician College
How to Select the Best One Near Salinas California

Realizing your long term dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Salinas CA might at first feel like an overwhelming endeavor. But in order to succeed as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. But just how do you tackle assessing and comparing schools so that you can make the best choice? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. After they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant factors when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. 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 furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the different duties of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the main determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are many functions that they can perform within the Salinas CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. 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 associated with more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared to assistants and usually acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general 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 complicated duties, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Schools Available

An approach that may make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are provided over the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Salinas CA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for commuting and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal option for you.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

At this point you probably have selected which veterinary credential that you want to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Salinas CA area and across the Country, you need to ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough review process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a requirement for employment for many Salinas CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet trade school or college and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on online school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Salinas CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective way to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Salinas CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate may mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Salinas CA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low 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 in size, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Salinas CA schools you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Okay, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Salinas CA home, you have to make sure 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 school is located close by or within a large city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you determine if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Salinas CA. Some might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online school is the best way to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Vet Tech in Salinas

Enroll in the Right Salinas Vet Technologist School

Picking the appropriate vet tech college is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students looking into veterinary technician colleges must make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by selecting the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Salinas California.

 

Salinas Veterinary Technician Schools | Salinas Online Vet Tech Programs