Veterinary Technician Degree Program
How to Choose the Best One Near Visalia California

Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Visalia CA may initially feel like a daunting endeavor. But to be successful as a working veterinary technician, you must first locate and ultimately enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training and education. But just how do you go about reviewing and contrasting programs so that you can make the best selection? When checking out vet tech schools, the majority of students begin by targeting the ones that are nearest to their homes. When they have located some area colleges, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when evaluating vet technician programs, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are reviewing. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll go over the various responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

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

Vet Tech Degree Options

Among the first decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the primary factor will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of functions that they can perform within the Visalia CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let's take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each specialty.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from 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 completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more involved undertakings, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians go through more advanced training in contrast to assistants and typically earn a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated duties, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states currently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires 4 years. So 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 career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Questions to Ask Vet Tech Colleges

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 program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Visalia CA area and across the Country, you should ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet School Accredited?  It's important that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier 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 a rigorous review process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Visalia CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program's Reputation?  The veterinarian college or trade school and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. 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 online school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Visalia CA veterinarians that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest one or more programs 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 professional environment. Find out if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Visalia CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided?  Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program 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 evaluating. A low rate may indicate that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may indicate that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Visalia CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not highly regarded 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 most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Visalia CA colleges you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located?  Of course, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Visalia CA home, you need to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or close by a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's essential that you determine if the vet schools you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Visalia CA. Some may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify 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 due to work, sickness or family issues. You might find that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Learn More About How to Become a Veterinary Tech in Visalia

Enroll in the Right Visalia Vet Technologist School

Enrolling in the ideal vet tech school is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students considering veterinary technician schools need to make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it's imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the right program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Visalia California.

 

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