IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools
By now you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Nogales AZ area as well as across the United States, you need to ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to select a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.
Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously 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 gone through a demanding review process that ensures you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is frequently a precondition for employment for many Nogales AZ area vet practices and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose should have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Arizona school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, call some Nogales AZ veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The best means to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Nogales AZ veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate 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 can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate may indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Nogales AZ vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Nogales AZ colleges you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students relating to 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 Campus Located? Yes, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Nogales AZ home, you must 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 college is located near or in a large city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in 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. Of course taking online classes might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Nogales AZ. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies. You may find that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.