IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs
At this point you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Fountain CO area and across the United States, you should ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to enroll in a program that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.
Is the Vet School Accredited? It's essential that you make sure that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a rigorous screening process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for many Fountain CO area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Colorado school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final tip, contact some Fountain CO veterinarians that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The most effective means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Fountain CO veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A low rate may signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Fountain CO veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower 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 bigger, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Fountain CO programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the School Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Fountain CO home, you must make certain 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 in or close by a large city. Also, 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 fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes could be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Fountain CO. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of work, sickness or family emergencies. You might find that an online school is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.