Vet Technician Degree Program
How to Find the Best One Near Shasta Lake California

Achieving your long term dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Shasta Lake CA might at first feel like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you have to find and enroll in a program that will provide the proper training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach assessing and comparing colleges so that you can make the ideal selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. When they have identified some local schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important factors when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. 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 reviewing. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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Vet Technician Degree Options

One of the first decisions that you will have to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Shasta Lake CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the conventional veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases 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 trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians undergo more advanced training compared to assistants and typically acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved functions, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states presently require veterinary 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 requires four years. Therefore 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, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Schools Available

An approach that may make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online 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 educational program is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Shasta Lake CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for travel and study supplies, can be lower compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make sure that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online veterinary technician program may be the ideal option for you.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

By now you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Shasta Lake CA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier 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 rigorous review process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a requirement for employment for many Shasta Lake CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or trade school and program you enroll in should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Shasta Lake CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They might even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Shasta Lake CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate may suggest that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may signify that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Shasta Lake CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could mean that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Shasta Lake CA programs you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Shasta Lake CA home, you must make sure that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or near a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you find out if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible 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 in the evenings near Shasta Lake CA. Others might only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family issues. You might find that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Technician in Shasta Lake

Chosse the Right Shasta Lake Veterinary Technologist College

Choosing the ideal vet tech college is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician programs need to make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the right school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Shasta Lake California.

 

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