IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs
By now you should have determined which veterinary degree that you want to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Lompoc CA area and across the USA, you must ask some qualifying questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you need to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.
Is the Vet College Accredited? It's important that you confirm that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that verifies you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is often a precondition for employment for many Lompoc CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.
What is the College's Reputation? The veterinary college or trade school and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on online school rating 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 relating to your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Lompoc CA veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend one or more schools not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The most effective means to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Lompoc CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a position after graduation.
Is Job Assistance Offered? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate could indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Lompoc CA veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Lompoc CA programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the Campus Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Lompoc CA home, you have to confirm 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. In addition, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinarian colleges you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Lompoc CA. Others might only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available before 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 college is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your active life.