Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Elkins Park PA

How to Find the Right Vet Tech School near Elkins Park Pennsylvania

Elkins Park PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term aspiration of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Elkins Park PA could at first feel like a daunting task. After all, you must search for and enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle reviewing and comparing programs so that you can make the ideal selection? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. Once they have located some local schools, they determine which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important factors when evaluating vet technician schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated also. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are evaluating before you make an ultimate selection. We have provided several within 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 options available.

The Job of a Vet Tech in Elkins Park PA

cat with cone after surgery in Elkins Park PA Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal factor will most likely be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of duties that they can perform within the Elkins Park PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical veterinarian practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and training requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more advanced training in contrast to assistants and usually obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complex functions, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently require vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and essentially perform the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes four years. So the main distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Many may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Elkins Park PA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered in Elkins Park

student attending online vet tech school in Elkins Park PA An alternative that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are offered through the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that portion can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Elkins Park PA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, such as for commuting and study materials, can be lower compared to more standard classroom programs. Just make sure that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online vet tech school may be the ideal option for you.

Questions to Ask Elkins Park PA Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Elkins Park PA vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinary credential that you want to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Elkins Park PA area and across the USA, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.

Is the Vet Program Accredited? It’s important that you confirm that the veterinary technician school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, 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 an extensive screening process that ensures you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is in many cases a requirement for employment for many Elkins Park PA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on online school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final pointer, call some Elkins Park PA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best way to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Elkins Park PA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical 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 establish relationships in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A low rate may suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Elkins Park PA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Elkins Park PA schools you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Elkins Park PA home, you have to make certain that the commuting time fits into 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, particularly if the college is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do choose to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Elkins Park PA. Others may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Elkins Park PA?

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

Elkins Park, Pennsylvania

Elkins Park is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is split between Cheltenham and Abington Townships in the suburbs of Philadelphia, which it borders along Cheltenham Avenue roughly 6 miles (9.7 km) from downtown. An affluent community, it is the home of Lynnewood Hall, a 110-room, derelict Gilded Age mansion.

Elkins Park is served by SEPTA Regional Rail trains on the Warminster Line, West Trenton Line and Lansdale/Doylestown Line at the Elkins Park station. The Jenkintown and Melrose Park stations are also found near the neighborhood of Elkins Park, and are served by the same regional rail lines. SEPTA bus routes 28, 55, 70 and 77 also provide service to Elkins Park.

Toward the western end of Elkins Park is Pennsylvania Route 611 (Old York Road). In Elkins Park, Pennsylvania Route 73 runs along Township Line Road, mostly marking the border between Cheltenham and Abington townships.

Select the Right Veterinary Technician Program near Elkins Park PA

Elkins Park PA vet tech holding dog Choosing the ideal veterinary technician program is a critical first step to starting a gratifying career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students considering vet tech programs need to make their determination based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the ideal program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Elkins Park PA.