IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Questions to Ask Vet Tech Programs
By now you should have selected which veterinarian degree that you wish 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 technical schools in the Norwalk CA area and across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to choose a college 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 veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.
Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It's essential that you confirm that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier 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 undergone a rigorous review process that ensures you will get 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 obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a requirement for employment for a number of Norwalk CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips 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 regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Norwalk CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Norwalk CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish 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 veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate may indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the program has an excellent reputation within the Norwalk CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may signify 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 larger, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Norwalk CA colleges you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to attend some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the Campus Located? Of course, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Norwalk CA home, you need to make sure that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located in or close by a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes may be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's important that you find out if the vet schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Norwalk CA. Some might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online college is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.