Veterinary Technician Program
How to Pick the Best One Near Van Nuys California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near Van Nuys CA to achieve your lifelong goal to help and care for our pets may from the start feel like an overwhelming challenge. After all, you must locate and enroll in a program that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you can make the right choice? When checking out vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by targeting those that are closest to their homes. After they have identified some local colleges, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are significant considerations when evaluating vet technician schools, they are by no means the only important 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 point is that prior to making a selection, you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we'll go over the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

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

Vet Tech Training Options

Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the principal factor will undoubtedly be which specialization appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of functions that they can perform within the Van Nuys CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the conventional vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice 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 technicians in the performance of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complex activities, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
• Vet Technicians go through more extensive training in contrast to assistants and generally acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet 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 involved tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires four years to complete. So the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Veterinary 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  Van Nuys CA labs or research facilities also.

Things to Ask Vet Tech Schools

At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian credential that you would like to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Van Nuys CA area as well as across the USA, you need to ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's imperative that you make sure that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, 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 demanding screening process that confirms you will obtain a superior 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 schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Van Nuys CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The vet college or trade school and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers 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 violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, call some Van Nuys CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective means to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Van Nuys CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate may signify that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of 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 higher placement rate might mean that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Van Nuys CA veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are larger, you most likely will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Van Nuys CA schools you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their qualifications 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 make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Van Nuys CA home, you must 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 school is located close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinary programs you are looking at 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 in the evenings near Van Nuys CA. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family issues. You may find that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Find Out More About Becoming a Vet Technologist in Van Nuys

Chosse the Best Van Nuys Vet Technologist Program

Choosing the ideal vet tech school is a crucial first step to beginning a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Potential students considering veterinary technician schools need to make their selection based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative responsibilities and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it's very important that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the ideal school, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Van Nuys California.

 

Van Nuys Vet Tech Colleges | Van Nuys Veterinary Technician Schools