Vet Technician Degree Program
How to Select the Right One Near Santa Clara California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Santa Clara CA to achieve your lifelong desire to help and provide medical treatment for our pets may initially feel like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a college that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. And so that you pick the best one you must research and compare each of the schools you are considering. When looking for vet tech programs, many potential students begin by targeting those that are closest to their homes. Once they have located some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when evaluating veterinary technician programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The main point is that before making a selection, you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the programs you are examining. We have furnished several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

Among the first decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of duties that they can perform within the Santa Clara CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the conventional vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a trade 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. Generally they are not associated with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training in contrast to assistants and normally acquire a two 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 duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex functions, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years to complete. So the main difference 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 additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered

An approach that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are offered through the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Santa Clara CA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for instance for traveling and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just be sure that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician program may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

By now you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Santa Clara CA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a rigorous screening process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Santa Clara CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian trade school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Santa Clara CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Santa Clara CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local vet community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A low rate may signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the program has an excellent reputation within the Santa Clara CA veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Santa Clara CA programs you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Okay, we previously covered location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Santa Clara CA home, you need to make certain that the commuting time fits into 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 campus is located close by or within a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you determine if the veterinary schools you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Santa Clara CA. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online school is the best solution to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Santa Clara

Chosse the Best Santa Clara Vet Technologist School

Picking the ideal veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Students thinking about vet tech colleges need to make their decision based on several key issues. 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 animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you pick 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 reduce your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Santa Clara California.

 

Santa Clara Vet Tech Schools | Santa Clara Vet Tech Schools Online