Veterinary Technician College
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Scotts Valley California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Scotts Valley CA to fulfill your heartfelt desire to work with and provide medical treatment for our pets may from the start seem like an enormous challenge. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you need to first search for and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you are considering. When checking out vet tech programs, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes. After they have identified some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are significant considerations when evaluating vet tech schools, they are by no means 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 location and cost. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech schools you are reviewing before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented 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 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 want to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are numerous functions that they can carry out within the Scotts Valley CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have gone through 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 technicians in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and typically obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. So the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

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  Scotts Valley CA labs or research facilities as well.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian degree that you wish to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Scotts Valley CA area as well as across the United States, 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 prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough screening process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is frequently a requirement for employment for a number of Scotts Valley CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Scotts Valley CA veterinarians that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Scotts Valley CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local vet community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A lower rate may indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Scotts Valley CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might indicate that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Scotts Valley CA colleges you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to participate in some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we already talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Scotts Valley CA home, you need to make certain that the driving 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 large 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 costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's important that you determine if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Scotts Valley CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Technologist in Scotts Valley

Chosse the Right Scotts Valley Vet Technologist School

Choosing the appropriate vet tech program is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career providing care and treatment for animals. Future students looking into vet tech schools need to make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Scotts Valley California.

 

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