IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs
At this point you should have selected which veterinary credential that you want to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the San Francisco CA area as well as across the Country, you should ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.
Is the Vet School Accredited? It's imperative that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously 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 confirms you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for many San Francisco CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on internet school ranking websites and speaking with 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 tip, get in touch with some San Francisco CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend one or more programs not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The best means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs arranged with San Francisco CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.
Is there a Job Assistance Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech school can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate could suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the San Francisco CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the San Francisco CA colleges you are looking at what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the College Located? Of course, we previously discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your San Francisco CA home, you have to make sure that the driving time fits into 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 school is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's essential that you find out if the veterinarian schools you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near San Francisco CA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family issues. You may discover that an online college is the best way to fit your vet training into your busy life.