Vet Technician Degree
How to Select the Right One Near Sunnyvale California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Sunnyvale CA to achieve your passionate goal to help and care for our pets might from the start seem like an overwhelming task. But in order to succeed as a working veterinary technician, you must first search for and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the required training and education. And in order to pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. When checking out vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes. When they have identified some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician schools, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as location and cost. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate choice. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training options available.

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

Vet Technician Education Options

One of 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 commit to your training, but the principal determiner will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many tasks that they can carry out within the Sunnyvale CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared to assistants and typically obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years. So the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Vet Tech Online Programs Available

An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available through the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using several methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Sunnyvale CA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for instance for commuting and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech program may be the perfect choice for you.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges

By now you should have selected which veterinary degree that you want to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Sunnyvale CA area and across the USA, you should ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to select a school that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's essential that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. 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 gone through an extensive review process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Sunnyvale CA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinary vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with online school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Sunnyvale CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They might even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs established with Sunnyvale CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A low rate could indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Sunnyvale CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Sunnyvale CA programs you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Sunnyvale CA home, you have to make certain 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Sunnyvale CA. Some might only be able to go to class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family issues. You might find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Vet Tech in Sunnyvale

Enroll in the Right Sunnyvale Vet Technologist Program

Enrolling in the ideal veterinary technician school is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech schools need to make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative 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 provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Sunnyvale California.

 

Sunnyvale Vet Tech Programs | Sunnyvale How To Become A Vet Tech