Veterinary Technician Training
How to Choose the Best One Near San Pedro California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near San Pedro CA to fulfill your lifelong goal to work with and care for our pets may from the start feel like an overwhelming task. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. But just how do you go about reviewing and comparing colleges so that you can make the best choice? When looking for vet tech programs, the majority of students start by targeting those that are closest to their homes. When they have identified some local schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important factors when evaluating vet tech programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Education Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are many tasks that they can carry out within the San Pedro CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing 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 performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared to assistants and normally acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more involved duties, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years. So the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the San Pedro CA area as well as across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. 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 Program Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the veterinary technician program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive review process that ensures you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for many San Pedro CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with online school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations involving your specific schools. As a final tip, phone some San Pedro CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with San Pedro CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate might suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the program has an exceptional reputation within the San Pedro CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean that the training is not well 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 receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the San Pedro CA schools you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Okay, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your San Pedro CA home, you need to make sure that the commuting 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 near or in a large city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's imperative that you find out if the veterinary colleges you are looking at 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 San Pedro CA. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure 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 work, sickness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Tech in San Pedro

Chosse the Best San Pedro Vet Technologist Program

Choosing the appropriate vet tech program is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students looking into vet tech colleges need to make their selection based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative responsibilities and support 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 applies to vet tech online schools 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 picking the best school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in San Pedro California.

 

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