IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools
By now you should have determined which veterinarian credential that you would like to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Jonesboro AR area and across the Country, you need to ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to select a school that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.
Is the Vet School Accredited? It's important that you verify that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously discussed, 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 thorough screening process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Jonesboro AR area vet practices and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Arkansas school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Jonesboro AR veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend one or more schools not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The most effective means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the schools you are considering have internship programs set up with Jonesboro AR veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish connections in the local vet community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.
Is there a Job Placement Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A low rate could indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Jonesboro AR vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not well 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 sized, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Jonesboro AR schools you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the School Located? Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Jonesboro AR home, you must make certain that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do opt 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. Of course attending classes online might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's important that you determine if the veterinarian programs you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Jonesboro AR. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online school is the best solution to fit your veterinary education into your active life.