IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs
By now you should have selected which veterinary degree that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Clearlake CA area as well as across the United States, you must ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed 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 essential that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a rigorous screening process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Clearlake CA area vet practices and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The veterinarian trade school or college and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Clearlake CA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through 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 best approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Clearlake CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the practical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local vet community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.
Is there a Job Placement Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate may suggest that the teachers were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Clearlake CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could 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 may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Clearlake CA programs you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to observe 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 College Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Clearlake CA home, you must make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located close by or within a larger city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's important that you determine if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Clearlake CA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet training into your hectic life.