Veterinary Technician Program
How to Choose the Right One Near Sunnyvale California

Realizing your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near Sunnyvale CA could initially feel like a daunting task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a school that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you go about analyzing and contrasting programs so that you can make the best selection? When looking for vet tech schools, many potential students begin by targeting those that are closest to their homes. After they have located some nearby schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are significant concerns when assessing vet tech programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your assessments. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician programs you are considering before you make a final selection. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll talk about the different responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Sunnyvale CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
• Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and typically acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes four years to complete. Therefore the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

What to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian degree that you wish to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Sunnyvale CA area and across the Country, you should ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to select a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's important that you confirm that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Sunnyvale CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance 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 regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, call some Sunnyvale CA veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend some 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. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Sunnyvale CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate might suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were disappointed 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 signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Sunnyvale CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could signify that the training is not highly 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 in size, you may get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Sunnyvale CA programs you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students relating to 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 School Located?  Yes, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Sunnyvale CA home, you have to make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, 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 larger city. Also, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary schools you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate 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 Sunnyvale CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online college is the best way to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Find Out More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in Sunnyvale

Enroll in the Right Sunnyvale Veterinary Technologist Program

Selecting the appropriate vet tech school is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students considering vet tech programs must make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it's essential that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online colleges 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 selecting the best program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Sunnyvale California.

 

Sunnyvale Vet Tech Colleges | Sunnyvale Veterinary Technician Schools