Veterinary Technician Program
How to Select the Right One Near West Covina California

Choosing a veterinary technician school near West Covina CA to achieve your lifelong desire to work with and provide medical treatment for our pets might from the start feel like an overwhelming challenge. 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 required training and education. 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 future students begin their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their homes. When they have found some area schools, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are significant considerations when assessing vet tech programs, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be looked into as well. The main point is that before making a selection, you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are examining. We have presented several in this article to help get you started, but before we review them we'll discuss the different duties 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

One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of functions that they can carry out within the West Covina CA veterinary clinic 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 conventional veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the duties and education requirements for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing 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 execution of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical 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 advanced training in contrast 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 veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more involved tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist's higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools

At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you would like to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the West Covina CA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet College Accredited?  It's essential that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, one of 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 demanding review process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of West Covina CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some West Covina CA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs?  The best approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs established with West Covina CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local vet community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate could suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the West Covina CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes?  If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the West Covina CA schools you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers 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 approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your West Covina CA home, you have to 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do choose to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And finally, it's essential that you determine if the veterinarian programs you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate 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 West Covina CA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your vet education into your active life.

Learn More About Becoming a Veterinary Tech in West Covina

Enroll in the Right West Covina Vet Technologist Program

Enrolling in the ideal vet tech college is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech colleges need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. 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 reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in West Covina California.

 

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