Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Blairsville PA

How to Select a Veterinary Technician Program near Blairsville Pennsylvania

Blairsville PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Blairsville PA may initially seem like a daunting endeavor. After all, you must search for and enroll in a program that will furnish the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you can make the right choice? Many future students start their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are near their residences. When they have located some area colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when assessing vet technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are reviewing before you make a final choice. We have provided several in this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the various duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Blairsville PA

cat with cone after surgery in Blairsville PA Among the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the main determiner will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the direct direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are many functions that they can carry out within the Blairsville PA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical vet practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have gone through a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more involved undertakings, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and typically acquire a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved duties, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medication. All states presently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or emergency care. A number may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Blairsville PA laboratories or research facilities also.

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in Blairsville

student attending online vet tech school in Blairsville PA An option that might make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Blairsville PA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, such as for commuting and study supplies, can be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make certain that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech program may be the right choice for you.

Things to Ask Blairsville PA Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Blairsville PA vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Blairsville PA area as well as across the USA, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other significant qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to select a college that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Blairsville PA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinary vocational school or college and program you choose should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with online school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final tip, phone some Blairsville PA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with Blairsville PA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish relationships in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Offered? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate may indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Blairsville PA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Blairsville PA colleges you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Of course, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Blairsville PA home, you have to 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 school is located in or near a larger city. Also, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s important that you determine if the veterinary programs you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Blairsville PA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss because of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You may find that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Blairsville PA?

If you have decided to attend a Veterinary Technician Program in the Blairsville Pennsylvania area, then you may find the following information about the location of your school campus interesting and informing.

Blairsville, Pennsylvania

Blairsville was settled in 1818 and incorporated in 1825. In the past, railway shops, foundries, machine shops, enameling plants, and manufactories of plate glass and lumber employed the residents. It was the seat of Blairsville College, a Presbyterian institution opened in 1851, and currently houses a campus for Wyoming Technical Institute.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 3,607 people, 1,631 households, and 983 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,591.3 people per square mile (1,001.9/km²). There were 1,830 housing units at an average density of 1,314.7 per square mile (508.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.68% White, 2.99% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.06% of the population.

There were 1,631 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.90.

Select the Best Veterinary Technician College near Blairsville PA

Blairsville PA vet tech holding dog Selecting the right veterinary technician college is a critical first step to beginning a gratifying career providing care and treatment for animals. Future students looking into vet tech programs must make their selection based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the right school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Blairsville PA.