Vet Technician Degree Program
How to Select the Right One Near Tustin California
Realizing your long term dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Tustin CA may at first seem like a challenging endeavor. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and finally enroll in a program that will provide the required education and training. But just how do you go about assessing and comparing schools so that you can make the best selection? When checking out vet tech schools, many potential students start by targeting those that are nearest to their homes. After they have found some area colleges, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when evaluating veterinary technician programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs in addition to accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are reviewing before you make a final decision. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll go over the different roles of vet techs and the training alternatives available.
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Vet Tech Education Options
One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you plan to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many jobs that they can perform within the Tustin CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and training prerequisites for each position.
- Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
- Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with assistants and normally acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
- Vet Technologists are comparable to vet 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 generally requires four years to complete. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Tustin CA labs or research facilities as well.
Questions to Ask Vet Tech Programs
By now you probably have selected which veterinary degree that you would like to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Tustin CA area and across the United States, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.
Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It's imperative that you confirm that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Tustin CA area vet practices and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on online school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final pointer, contact some Tustin CA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest some programs not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The best way to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Tustin CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for employment after graduation.
Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A lower rate may indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Tustin CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean 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, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Tustin CA programs you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the College Located? Okay, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Tustin CA home, you must confirm 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 commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located in or near a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's important that you determine if the veterinary colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only go to 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 before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.
Find Out More About How to Become a Vet Tech in Tustin
Chosse the Right Tustin Veterinary Technologist School
Selecting the ideal vet tech school is an important first step to starting a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students considering vet tech colleges must make their decision based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. 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 narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Tustin California.