Vet Technician Degree Program
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Santa Rosa California

Realizing your long term dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Santa Rosa CA may initially feel like a challenging endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a school that will provide the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. And in order to pick the right one you must evaluate and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their residences. After they have found some local colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when assessing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated as well. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the programs you are evaluating. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training options 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 if you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of jobs that they can perform within the Santa Rosa CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed 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 performance of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared with assistants and generally obtain 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 function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved activities, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years. So the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Vet Tech Online Schools Available

An alternative that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian school 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 schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using multiple methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can usually be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Santa Rosa CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, for instance for travel and study materials, may be lower compared to more standard classroom courses. Just make certain that the online school 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 included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online vet tech school may be the perfect choice for you.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you probably have selected which veterinary credential that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Santa Rosa CA area as well as across the USA, you need to ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's essential that you make sure that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier 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 an extensive screening process that confirms you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Santa Rosa CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you enroll in should have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on online school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, phone some Santa Rosa CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Santa Rosa CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the practical training, but an internship may also help develop connections in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Santa Rosa CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Santa Rosa CA schools you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend 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 instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Santa Rosa CA home, you must confirm 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 school is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And last, it's imperative that you find out if the veterinarian programs you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Santa Rosa CA. Some might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online program is the best way to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in Santa Rosa

Chosse the Best Santa Rosa Veterinary Technologist College

Picking the right veterinary technician college is a crucial first step to starting a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students thinking about vet tech schools must make their decision based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you pick 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 provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the best college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Santa Rosa California.

 

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