Veterinary Technician Training
How to Enroll In the Right One Near San Leandro California

Realizing your long term goal of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near San Leandro CA might initially seem like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will deliver the necessary training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle assessing and comparing colleges so that you can make the correct choice? When looking for vet tech schools, the majority of students start by targeting those that are closest to their homes. Once they have located some nearby schools, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important factors when comparing veterinary technician programs, they are not the only important ones when making your assessments. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate choice. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the different roles of vet techs and the training options available.

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 if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are numerous functions that they can carry out within the San Leandro CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. 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 involved activities, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training in contrast to assistants and generally obtain 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 function 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 activities, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and basically perform the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years to complete. So 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 options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Available

An approach that might make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using several methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local San Leandro CA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, such as for traveling and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make sure that the program 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 provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online vet tech program may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you probably have selected which veterinarian degree that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the San Leandro CA area as well as across the United States, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to enroll in a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier 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 screening process that confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a requirement for employment for many San Leandro CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet college or trade school and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with 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 infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, contact some San Leandro CA veterinarians that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best approach to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs set up with San Leandro CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate might indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the program has an excellent reputation within the San Leandro CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the San Leandro CA schools you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students relating to 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 School Located?  Of course, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your San Leandro CA home, you have to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located near or in 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 state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's important that you ascertain if the vet programs you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit 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 San Leandro CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your active life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in San Leandro

Enroll in the Best San Leandro Veterinary Technologist College

Picking the appropriate vet tech program is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into veterinary technician programs need to make their decision based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in San Leandro California.

 

San Leandro Veterinary Technician Schools | San Leandro Online Vet Tech Programs