IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs
By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Baraboo WI area and across the Country, you should ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other significant qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech programs that you are considering.
Is the Vet Program Accredited? It's imperative that you make sure that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a prerequisite for employment for many Baraboo WI area vet practices and hospitals.
What is the College's Reputation? The veterinary trade school or college and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Wisconsin school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Baraboo WI veterinarians that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend one or more schools not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Baraboo WI veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and help in the search for employment after graduation.
Is there a Job Placement Program? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A low rate may signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Baraboo WI veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Baraboo WI programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the College Located? Yes, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Baraboo WI home, you need to confirm that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's important that you determine if the veterinary schools you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Baraboo WI. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family issues. You might find that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.