Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Clarks Summit PA

How to Enroll In a Vet Tech Program near Clarks Summit Pennsylvania

Clarks Summit PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term aspiration of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Clarks Summit PA may at first seem like a daunting endeavor. After all, you have to find and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the correct selection? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their residences. When they have found some local colleges, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when comparing vet tech programs, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are considering before you make a final selection. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in Clarks Summit PA

cat with cone after surgery in Clarks Summit PA One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the primary factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Clarks Summit PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the standard veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training in contrast to assistants and typically acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complex functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered in Clarks Summit

student attending online vet tech school in Clarks Summit PA An approach that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending vet school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Clarks Summit PA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for travel and study supplies, may be more affordable compared to more standard classroom courses. Just confirm that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online vet tech program may be the perfect choice for you.

What to Ask Clarks Summit PA Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Clarks Summit PA vet tech schools By now you probably have determined which veterinary credential that you would like to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Clarks Summit PA area and across the United States, you need to ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many prospective students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s essential that you confirm that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Clarks Summit PA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on internet school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final tip, contact some Clarks Summit PA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend one or more programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs established with Clarks Summit PA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish associations in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A lower rate could signify that the teachers were unqualified to teach 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 indicate that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Clarks Summit PA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could 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 may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Clarks Summit PA programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding 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 a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Clarks Summit PA home, you have to make certain that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s important that you find out if the vet colleges you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Clarks Summit PA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to sickness, work or family emergencies. You might discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Clarks Summit PA?

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

Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania

Clarks Summit is a borough in Lackawanna County northwest of Scranton in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,116 at the 2010 census. It is also the northern terminus of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, I-476.

The first settler in the area currently known as Clarks Summit was William Clark. Clark had fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill during the Revolutionary War, and as payment for his military service, he was issued 800 acres (3.2 km2) of Pennsylvania land by Congress. Because of disputes between Pennsylvania and Connecticut over the area of land that is now northern Pennsylvania (resulting in the Pennamite-Yankee War), the land deed issued to Clark was deemed invalid by the Luzerne County land grant office. Clark had no choice but to pay for the land himself. In March 1799, Clark and his three sons moved into a log cabin in the Abington wilderness, located on what is currently the Clarks Green Cemetery. The first school was built in 1893 and was destroyed by fire two years later.[3] The village of Clarks Summit and an adjacent tract of land were incorporated into the Borough of Clarks Summit on August 30, 1911.

There are many geological features that add appeal to the area of Clarks Summit. Many of the locals enjoy the plethora of natural lands and features during the warmer months. Clarks Summit area has four dams (Cobbs Lake Dam, Fords Lake Dam, Interlaken Dam, and Summit Lake Dam) that all have scenic bodies of water attached for many outdoor activities such as fishing and swimming. Moreover, Cummings Pond, Gravel Pond, and Lance Pond additionally offer many outdoor opportunities for residents and their families. Along with these lakes, ponds, and dams, there are also several reservoirs that are contained in the area. The area's four reservoirs serve as local hot spots for summer swimming and rope swings for much of Clarks Summit's youth. In addition to bodies of water, the area also services many hiking and walking locations throughout the borough. The area is home to Bald Mountain, Captain White Hill, Griffin Hill, Pinnacle Rock, West Mountain, Wilbur Hill, Summit Pointe, Waverly Community walking trail and many others.

Choose the Ideal Vet Tech Program near Clarks Summit PA

Clarks Summit PA vet tech holding dog Picking the appropriate veterinary technician program is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students considering vet tech programs must make their decision based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it’s very important that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the best college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Clarks Summit PA.