Veterinary Technician Training
How to Select the Best One Near Santa Monica California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Santa Monica CA to achieve your passionate desire to help and provide medical treatment for animals might from the start feel like an enormous challenge. After all, you have to find and enroll in a school that will provide the appropriate training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle assessing and comparing colleges so that you can make the proper selection? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. When they have identified some local colleges, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be considered also. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician schools you are evaluating before you make a final choice. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll explore the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Tech Training Options

Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous functions that they can carry out within the Santa Monica 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 veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, 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 completion of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training in contrast to assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more involved activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes four years. 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 career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Available

An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using several methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Santa Monica CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for traveling and study materials, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal choice for you.

What to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

By now you probably have determined which veterinarian credential that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Santa Monica CA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's imperative that you confirm that the vet tech 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 gone through a rigorous review process that ensures you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Santa Monica CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on internet school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final tip, get in touch with some Santa Monica CA veterinarians that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Santa Monica CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate may signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Santa Monica CA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could mean that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Santa Monica CA colleges you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Of course, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Santa Monica CA home, you must make certain 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 in or close by a larger city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate 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 Monica CA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online program is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Vet Tech in Santa Monica

Enroll in the Right Santa Monica Vet Technologist Program

Enrolling in the right veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to starting a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for animals. Students considering vet tech programs must make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech schools 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 decision. And by selecting the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Santa Monica California.

 

Santa Monica Vet Tech Programs | Santa Monica How To Become A Vet Tech