Veterinary Technician School
How to Choose the Right One Near Tustin California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Tustin CA to achieve your lifelong goal to help and provide medical treatment for animals might from the start feel like an enormous task. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you need to first search for and finally enroll in a program that will provide the necessary education and training. And so that you pick the right one you must research and compare each of the schools you have placed on your short list. Many potential students start their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their homes. When they have found some area colleges, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important factors when assessing vet tech schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Job placement and intership programs in addition to 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 veterinary technician programs you are reviewing 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 different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Training Options

Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Tustin CA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the standard vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most cases 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 vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared to assistants and usually acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complex duties, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
• Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and basically perform the same job functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Vet techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. A number may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Tustin CA labs or research facilities also.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Available

An alternative that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available via the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using several venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Tustin CA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary costs, for instance for traveling and study supplies, can be lower compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the right option for you.

What to Ask Vet Tech Programs

At this point you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you want to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Tustin CA area and across the Country, you must ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited?  It's imperative that you confirm that the vet tech college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a rigorous screening process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Tustin CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or trade school and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Tustin CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The best way to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Tustin CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it by way of 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 job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided?  Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A low rate might mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the program has an excellent reputation within the Tustin CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you may get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Tustin CA colleges you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend some classes (if practical) to observe 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 backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the College Located?  Yes, we previously discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Tustin CA home, you have to confirm that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located close by or within a large 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 charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible?  And finally, it's essential that you determine if the veterinary programs you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible 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 Tustin CA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You may find that an online program is the best way to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Tustin

Enroll in the Right Tustin Veterinary Technologist School

Enrolling in the right veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students looking into vet tech programs need to make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's imperative that you decide on 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 assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the best program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Tustin California.

 

Tustin Veterinary Technician Schools | Tustin Online Vet Tech Programs