Veterinary Technician Degree
How to Choose the Right One Near Simi Valley California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Simi Valley CA to fulfill your passionate goal to help and provide medical treatment for animals may initially seem like an overwhelming task. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a program that will furnish the appropriate training so that you can succeed as a vet tech. And in order to pick the right one you must evaluate and compare all of the schools you are considering. When checking out vet tech schools, the majority of students start by zeroing in on the ones that are closest to their homes. When they have found some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are important factors when evaluating vet technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a vet assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous functions that they can perform within the Simi Valley CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the typical vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each position.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared to assistants and normally earn a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more involved duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and basically perform the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years. Therefore 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 work options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Simi Valley CA labs or research facilities also.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you should have determined which veterinarian degree that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Simi Valley CA area and across the Country, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's important that you verify that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, one of 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 demanding screening process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Simi Valley CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The vet college or vocational school and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final pointer, phone some Simi Valley CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The most effective approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Simi Valley CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate may suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Simi Valley CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Simi Valley CA schools you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Of course, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Simi Valley CA home, you must make certain 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 commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located close by or within a large 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 particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's essential that you determine if the vet programs you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Simi Valley CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You might find that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Technician in Simi Valley

Enroll in the Right Simi Valley Vet Technologist College

Selecting the ideal veterinary technician college is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students considering vet tech programs must make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you choose 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 included 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 choosing the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Simi Valley California.

 

Simi Valley Vet Tech Colleges | Simi Valley Veterinary Technician Schools