Vet Technician Training
How to Pick the Right One Near Silver Lake California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Silver Lake CA to achieve your lifelong desire to work with and care for our pets may initially feel like an overwhelming task. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and finally enroll in a school that will provide the required education and training. But just how do you tackle analyzing and comparing programs so that you can make the ideal choice? When checking out vet tech schools, many potential students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are closest to their homes. Once they have located some area colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important factors when comparing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered also. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the programs you are examining. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the varied roles of vet techs and the training options offered.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Silver Lake CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing 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. Usually they are not associated with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive 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 counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. A number may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Silver Lake CA labs or research facilities as well.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian credential that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Silver Lake CA area and across the USA, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, 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 an extensive review process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Silver Lake CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian trade school or college and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Silver Lake CA veterinarians that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs established with Silver Lake CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate could suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Silver Lake CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify 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 sized, you may get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Silver Lake CA schools you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Silver Lake CA home, you need to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinarian colleges you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Silver Lake CA. Some might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You may find that an online college is the best solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Vet Technician in Silver Lake

Enroll in the Best Silver Lake Vet Technologist Program

Picking the ideal vet tech program is an important first step to starting a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students considering veterinary technician programs must make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the right college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Silver Lake California.

 

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