IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Vet Tech Programs
At this point you should have determined which veterinary credential that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Brawley CA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many prospective students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed 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 veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Brawley CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The veterinary trade school or college and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, phone some Brawley CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school selections. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs established with Brawley CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.
Is there a Job Assistance Program? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A lower rate may indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Brawley CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you most likely will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Brawley CA schools you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students concerning 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 Campus Located? Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Brawley CA home, you have to confirm 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 commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located near or in a large city. Also, 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 state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's imperative that you ascertain if the vet schools you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Brawley CA. Some 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, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.