Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Cheltenham PA

How to Find the Right Vet Tech Program near Cheltenham Pennsylvania

Cheltenham PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term aspiration of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Cheltenham PA may at first feel like a daunting endeavor. After all, you must locate and enroll in a program that will provide the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach assessing and comparing colleges so that you can make the best selection? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their residences. Once they have identified some area schools, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are significant considerations when evaluating vet tech programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered also. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech schools you are considering before you make an ultimate decision. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Cheltenham PA

cat with cone after surgery in Cheltenham PA One of the first decisions that you will have to make is if you want to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the main factor will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Cheltenham PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Usually they are not associated with more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgeries. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more extensive training compared to assistants and generally acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and for the most part carry out the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years. So the main distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in Cheltenham

student attending online vet tech school in Cheltenham PA An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are made available over the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Cheltenham PA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, such as for travel and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just be sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online vet tech school may be the right choice for you.

Things to Ask Cheltenham PA Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Cheltenham PA vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinary degree that you want to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Cheltenham PA area and across the Country, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s essential that you confirm that the veterinary technician college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a prerequisite for employment for a number of Cheltenham PA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with online school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final pointer, phone some Cheltenham PA veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They may even suggest some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best way to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Cheltenham PA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish relationships in the local vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school 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 reviewing. A low rate might mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of 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 high placement rate could mean that the college has an excellent reputation within the Cheltenham PA veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Cheltenham PA programs you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get feedback 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 Campus Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Cheltenham PA home, you must confirm that the driving time fits into 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 close by a large city. Also, if you do decide to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes could be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you find out if the vet schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Cheltenham PA. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family emergencies. You may discover that an online school is the best way to fit your vet training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Cheltenham PA?

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

Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Cheltenham Township is a home rule township bordering North Philadelphia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Cheltenham's population density ranges from over 10,000 per square mile in rowhouses and high-rise apartments along Cheltenham Avenue to historic neighborhoods in Wyncote and Elkins Park. It is the most densely populated township in Montgomery County.[3] The population was 36,793 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the third most populous township in Montgomery County and the 27th most populous municipality in Pennsylvania. It was originally part of Philadelphia County, and it became part of Montgomery County upon that county's creation in 1784.

Cheltenham is located 5 miles from Center City Philadelphia and surrounded by the North and Northeast sections of Philadelphia, Abington, Jenkintown, and Springfield. The SEPTA Main Line passes through Cheltenham via 5 regional rail stations, some of which are the busiest in the SEPTA system. Cheltenham is served by the SEPTA City Division and is adjacent to Fern Rock Transportation Center and the Broad Street Line subway which terminates at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex and also the Frankford Transportation Center and the El, which terminates at 69th Street in Upper Darby Township. The northern terminus of Broad Street is in Cheltenham, at its intersection with Cheltenham Avenue (PA 309).

Cheltenham was established in 1682 as part of Philadelphia County by 15 Quakers from Cheltenham, England, including Richard Wall and Tobias Leech, who purchased 4,070 acres (16.5 km2) of land from William Penn.[4][5] Upon creation of Montgomery County in 1784, Cheltenham became the smallest township in the new county.

Select the Right Veterinary Technician School near Cheltenham PA

Cheltenham PA vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the appropriate veterinary technician college is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Cheltenham PA.