Vet Technician School
How to Select the Right One Near Santa Cruz California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Santa Cruz CA to fulfill your lifelong goal to help and care for our pets might initially feel like an enormous challenge. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a school that will deliver the proper training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. And so that you pick the best one you must research and compare all of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are close to their residences. Once they have located some area schools, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important considerations when assessing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician schools you are looking at before you make an ultimate selection. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training options offered.

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

Vet Tech Training Options

One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the main factor will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many functions that they can perform within the Santa Cruz CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish assistance 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 responsibilities and training prerequisites for each position.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice 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 completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more involved undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes four years. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

By now you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Santa Cruz CA area and across the Country, you need to ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's important that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, 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 verifies you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is often a precondition for employment for many Santa Cruz CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinarian trade school or college and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on online 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 violations relating to your targeted schools. As a final pointer, phone some Santa Cruz CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Santa Cruz CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the practical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate could signify that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Santa Cruz CA vet 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 placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Santa Cruz CA colleges you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Santa Cruz CA home, you have to make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located in or close by 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 higher tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's imperative that you determine if the veterinary programs you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible 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 Santa Cruz CA. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Santa Cruz

Enroll in the Best Santa Cruz Veterinary Technologist Program

Choosing the ideal veterinary technician school is a critical first step to starting a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for animals. Students thinking about vet tech programs need to make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Santa Cruz California.

 

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