Veterinary Technician Training
How to Choose the Right One Near San Francisco California

Achieving your long term goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near San Francisco CA might initially seem like an overwhelming endeavor. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first search for and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the required education and training. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare all of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech schools, many potential students start by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes. After they have found some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important factors when evaluating veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of duties that they can perform within the San Francisco CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a structured 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 vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complicated undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

At this point you should have decided on which veterinary credential that you would like to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the San Francisco CA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. 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 thorough review process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary 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 requirement for employment for many San Francisco CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking 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 violations concerning your specific schools. As a final tip, call some San Francisco CA veterinary clinics that you may want 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 way to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with San Francisco CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate may signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the school has an excellent reputation within the San Francisco CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the San Francisco CA schools you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your San Francisco CA home, you need to make certain that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet colleges you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near San Francisco CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of work, sickness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in San Francisco

Enroll in the Best San Francisco Veterinary Technologist College

Selecting the appropriate veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for animals. Future students thinking about vet tech schools need to make their selection based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it's very important 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 programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the ideal college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in San Francisco California.

 

San Francisco Vet Tech Colleges | San Francisco Veterinary Technician Schools