Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Fountainville PA

How to Enroll In a Veterinary Technician School near Fountainville Pennsylvania

Fountainville PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Fountainville PA could initially seem like an overwhelming task. After all, you have to find and enroll in a college that will provide the appropriate training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you go about assessing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the correct selection? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their residences. Once they have identified some local schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when comparing vet technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into also. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician schools you are reviewing before you make an ultimate decision. We have furnished several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives available.

The Role of a Veterinary Technician in Fountainville PA

cat with cone after surgery in Fountainville PA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal factor will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Fountainville PA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a trade school or community college. 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 involved with more involved undertakings, for instance assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared with assistants and normally acquire a 2 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 general job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more complicated functions, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years. So the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in Fountainville

student attending online vet tech school in Fountainville PA An option that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available through the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that part can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Fountainville PA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, for instance for traveling and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom courses. Just make certain that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect choice for you.

What to Ask Fountainville PA Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Fountainville PA vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinary credential that you wish to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Fountainville PA area and across the United States, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s important that you verify that the veterinary technician school you select 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 gone through an extensive review process that ensures you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for many Fountainville PA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final tip, phone some Fountainville PA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best approach to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs established with Fountainville PA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local vet community and assist 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. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Fountainville PA veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Fountainville PA schools you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located? Okay, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Fountainville PA home, you must make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending online classes might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Fountainville PA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family issues. You might discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Fountainville PA?

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

New Britain Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.2 square miles (39.5 km²), of which, 14.7 square miles (38.1 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (3.61%) is water. It is drained by the Delaware River via the Neshaminy Creek. Its villages include Christy (also in Montgomery County,) Fountainville, Line Lexington (also in Hilltown Township and Montgomery County,) Naces Corner, New Galena, and Newville.[4]Brittany Farms-The Highlands CDP is also located in the township.

Natural features include Cooks Run, Iron Hill, Neshaminy Creek, Pine Run, Prospect Hill, and Royal Hill.[4] New Britain Township is home to Peace Valley Park, a county park that surrounds Lake Galena, a reservoir along the North Branch Neshaminy Creek.

As of the 2010 census, the township was 92.0% White, 1.6% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 3.3% Asian, and 0.9% were two or more races. 2.4% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.[6]

Enroll in the Right Vet Tech School near Fountainville PA

Fountainville PA vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the right vet tech program is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech programs need to make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the best school, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Fountainville PA.