Vet Technician Degree
How to Pick the Right One Near South Lake Tahoe California

Finding a veterinary technician school near South Lake Tahoe CA to achieve your lifelong goal to help and provide medical treatment for animals might from the start seem like an enormous challenge. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you need to first search for and finally enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training and education. But just how do you go about assessing and comparing programs so that you can make the best choice? When looking for vet tech schools, many potential students start by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes. Once they have found some area schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important concerns when assessing veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The main point is that prior to making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the programs you are examining. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the different roles of vet techs and the training options available.

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Vet Tech Education Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the primary factor will probably be which specialization appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the South Lake Tahoe CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard 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 the majority of cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians receive more extensive training in contrast to assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complex duties, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years to complete. 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, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  South Lake Tahoe CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you probably have selected which veterinarian degree that you would like to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the South Lake Tahoe CA area and across the United States, you must ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to choose a college 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 schools that you are considering.

Is the Vet Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you verify that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough screening process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for many South Lake Tahoe CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final suggestion, contact some South Lake Tahoe CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with South Lake Tahoe CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build connections in the local vet community and help 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. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate may signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the South Lake Tahoe CA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the South Lake Tahoe CA schools you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Of course, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your South Lake Tahoe 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 commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus 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 costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's imperative that you ascertain if the veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near South Lake Tahoe CA. Some may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online school is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in South Lake Tahoe

Chosse the Right South Lake Tahoe Veterinary Technologist College

Enrolling in the appropriate veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into vet tech programs must make their decision based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the ideal college, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in South Lake Tahoe California.

 

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