Vet Technician Training Program
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Santa Clara California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Santa Clara CA to fulfill your heartfelt desire to help and provide medical treatment for our pets may initially feel like an enormous task. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a school that will deliver the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle evaluating and comparing colleges so that you can make the correct choice? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their residences. Once they have found some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are significant considerations when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into also. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the varied roles of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main factor will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the Santa Clara CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally earn a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are included in more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years to complete. Therefore 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 work options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. A number may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Santa Clara CA laboratories or research facilities also.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

At this point you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you want to attain, 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 Santa Clara CA area and across the USA, you must ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's important that you confirm that the vet tech college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous review process that confirms you will get 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 available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a requirement for employment for many Santa Clara CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you choose should have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final pointer, contact some Santa Clara 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 some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs set up with Santa Clara CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the practical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate might indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Santa Clara CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Santa Clara CA colleges you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students regarding 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 already discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Santa Clara CA home, you need to make certain that the commuting time is compatible with 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 close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you find out if the veterinary schools you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Santa Clara CA. Others might only be able to go to class in the morning or later 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 find that an online program is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technician in Santa Clara

Chosse the Best Santa Clara Veterinary Technologist School

Picking the appropriate vet tech program is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their decision based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Santa Clara California.

 

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