IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Things to Ask Vet Tech Colleges
At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you wish to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Petaluma CA area and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.
Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It's essential that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive review process that confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a requirement for employment for many Petaluma CA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.
What is the College's Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Petaluma CA veterinarians 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 some colleges not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The best approach to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs set up with Petaluma CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.
Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the school has an excellent reputation within the Petaluma CA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could indicate that the training is not well 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 one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Petaluma CA programs you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the School Located? Yes, we previously covered location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Petaluma CA home, you need to confirm that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, 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 near or in a large 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 fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's important that you find out if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Petaluma CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of sickness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet education into your busy life.