Vet Technician College
How to Pick the Right One Near South Pasadena California

Achieving your long term goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near South Pasadena CA could initially seem like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you need to find and enroll in a program that will provide the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you can make the best choice? Many aspiring students launch their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their residences. When they have located some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are significant concerns when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered also. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician programs you are considering before you make an ultimate choice. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll discuss the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

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

Vet Technician Training Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can perform within the South Pasadena CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the conventional vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all 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 veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complex tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive training compared with assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more involved activities, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and basically carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years. So the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. Some may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  South Pasadena CA laboratories or research facilities also.

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

By now you probably have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the South Pasadena CA area as well as across the United States, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to choose a college 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 vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that ensures you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many South Pasadena CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinarian trade school or college and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on online 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 complaints or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final pointer, contact some South Pasadena CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with South Pasadena CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate might suggest that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the South Pasadena CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the South Pasadena CA colleges you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Okay, we previously discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your South Pasadena CA home, you have to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's essential that you ascertain if the vet schools you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near South Pasadena CA. Some might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family issues. You may find that an online school is the best way to fit your vet education into your busy life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in South Pasadena

Chosse the Right South Pasadena Vet Technologist School

Choosing the appropriate vet tech program is an important first step to starting a gratifying career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician programs need to make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best college, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in South Pasadena California.

 

South Pasadena Vet Tech Colleges | South Pasadena Veterinary Technician Schools