IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs
By now you probably have determined which veterinary credential that you wish to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Ridgecrest CA area as well as across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.
Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It's imperative that you verify that the vet tech program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone an extensive review process that confirms you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Ridgecrest CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The vet college or trade school and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating 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 violations concerning your specific schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Ridgecrest CA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest some colleges not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best means to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Ridgecrest CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Assistance Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate could suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Ridgecrest CA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Ridgecrest CA programs you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the School Located? Of course, we already covered location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Ridgecrest CA home, you must make certain 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's important that you find out if the veterinary programs you are considering offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Ridgecrest CA. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities. You might find that an online college is the best solution to fit your vet education into your busy life.