Vet Technician School
How to Choose the Right One Near Santa Clara California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Santa Clara CA to fulfill your lifelong goal to help and provide medical treatment for our pets might initially seem like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a college that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about assessing and comparing schools so that you can make the correct choice? When checking out vet tech schools, many potential students start by zeroing in on the ones that are closest to their homes. After they have identified some local colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important factors when comparing vet tech schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated also. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the programs you are examining. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll go over the varied duties of veterinary technicians 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 want to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the Santa Clara CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the conventional veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, 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 execution of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complicated undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and usually acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental 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 functions, for example assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states presently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and basically perform the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires four years. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist 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 additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Vet Tech Online Programs Available

An option that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are provided via the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Santa Clara CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for instance for traveling and study materials, can be lower compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the perfect option for you.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you probably have decided on which veterinary credential that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Santa Clara CA area and across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous review process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a requirement for employment for many Santa Clara CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, call some Santa Clara CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with Santa Clara CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A lower rate might signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may signify that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Santa Clara CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate 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 sized, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Santa Clara CA programs you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Okay, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Santa Clara CA home, you have to confirm 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or close by a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the vet schools you are looking at 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 in the evenings near Santa Clara CA. Some may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to work, sickness or family issues. You might discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Santa Clara

Enroll in the Best Santa Clara Vet Technologist School

Enrolling in the ideal vet tech school is a critical first step to starting a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students considering veterinary technician programs need to make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Santa Clara California.

 

Santa Clara Veterinary Technician Schools | Santa Clara Online Vet Tech Programs