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

Realizing your long term aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Santa Rosa CA may at first feel like a challenging undertaking. After all, you must locate and enroll in a school that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about analyzing and contrasting schools so that you can make the correct selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their homes. After they have identified some area colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are significant considerations when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The bottom line is that before making a selection, you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the programs you are evaluating. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main determiner will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Santa Rosa CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, 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 technicians in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex activities, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared with assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets 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 surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• 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 typically takes 4 years to complete. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered

An approach that might make sense for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are provided through the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Santa Rosa CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for instance for travel and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just be sure that the online school 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 included 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 option for you.

What to Ask Vet Tech Programs

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you would like to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Santa Rosa CA area and across the Country, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you want to select a school that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's essential that you make sure that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough screening process that confirms you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Santa Rosa CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet college or trade school and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking 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 regarding your targeted schools. As a final pointer, call some Santa Rosa CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best way to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Santa Rosa CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate may signify that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Santa Rosa CA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not well 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 in size, you most likely will receive little or no individualized 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 decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students relating to 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 College Located?  Okay, we previously covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Santa Rosa CA home, you have to make sure that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located in or close by a larger city. Also, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online might be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Santa Rosa 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 prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online school is the best way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Santa Rosa

Enroll in the Right Santa Rosa Vet Technologist Program

Choosing the ideal veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech colleges need to make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Santa Rosa California.

 

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