Vet Technician Program
How to Pick the Right One Near Thousand Oaks California

Finding a veterinary technician school near Thousand Oaks CA to achieve your lifelong desire to work with and provide medical treatment for our pets may initially feel like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a college that will deliver the proper training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle assessing and contrasting programs so that you can make the right choice? When checking out vet tech programs, the majority of students start by targeting the ones that are nearest to their homes. When they have identified some nearby colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when evaluating vet tech schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll explore the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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 if you wish to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are numerous functions that they can perform within the Thousand Oaks CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from 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. Usually they are not involved with more involved tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared to assistants and normally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complex functions, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years to complete. So the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Vet Tech Schools Available

An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using various methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Thousand Oaks CA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for instance for commuting and study materials, can be lower compared to more standard classroom courses. Just be sure that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online vet tech school may be the right option for you.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Programs

By now you should have selected which veterinarian degree that you would like to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Thousand Oaks 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 prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive review process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Thousand Oaks CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the College's Reputation?  The veterinary college or vocational school and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations 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 suggestion, phone some Thousand Oaks CA veterinarians that you may wish 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 programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Thousand Oaks CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish 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 vet tech college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate may mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may mean that the program has an excellent reputation within the Thousand Oaks CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger in size, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Thousand Oaks CA colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Thousand Oaks CA home, you must confirm that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially 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 higher tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Thousand Oaks CA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in Thousand Oaks

Chosse the Right Thousand Oaks Vet Technologist College

Choosing the right veterinary technician program is a critical first step to beginning a gratifying career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students looking into veterinary technician colleges need to make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Thousand Oaks California.

 

Thousand Oaks Veterinary Technician Schools | Thousand Oaks Online Vet Tech Programs