Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Franklintown PA

How to Find the Right Vet Tech Program near Franklintown Pennsylvania

Franklintown PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Franklintown PA could at first seem like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a school that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach analyzing and contrasting programs so that you can make the proper choice? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are close to their homes. Once they have identified some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although location and cost are significant considerations when comparing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. 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 tech programs you are considering before you make a final decision. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll talk about the various responsibilities of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

The Function of a Vet Tech in Franklintown PA

cat with cone after surgery in Franklintown PA One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you desire to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal determiner will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are numerous jobs that they can carry out within the Franklintown PA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the typical veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and typically acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved duties, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states currently require veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 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 opportunities, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Franklintown

student attending online vet tech school in Franklintown PA An approach that might be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are provided by means of the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The curriculum is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Franklintown PA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, such as for commuting and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more standard classroom courses. Just confirm that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished 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 ideal choice for you.

Questions to Ask Franklintown PA Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Franklintown PA vet tech schools By now you probably have determined which veterinary credential that you want to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Franklintown PA area as well as across the Country, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to enroll in a program that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s important that you make sure that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough screening process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is frequently a requirement for employment for a number of Franklintown PA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final recommendation, contact some Franklintown PA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even recommend some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs arranged with Franklintown PA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local vet community and help in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could mean that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Franklintown PA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Franklintown PA programs you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Franklintown PA home, you need 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 large city. In addition, 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 especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking classes online might 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 imperative that you find out if the veterinary colleges 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 Franklintown PA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may find that an online program is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Franklintown PA?

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

Franklintown, Pennsylvania

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 532 people, 211 households, and 147 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,154.3 people per square mile (821.6/km²). There were 222 housing units at an average density of 899.0 per square mile (342.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.68% White, 0.19% African American, 0.56% Native American and 0.56% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.

There were 211 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the borough the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 44.4% from 25 to 44, 12.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

Enroll in the Right Veterinary Technician School near Franklintown PA

Franklintown PA vet tech holding dog Choosing the ideal veterinary technician program is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career delivering care and treatment for pets and livestock. Potential students looking into veterinary technician programs must make their decision based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients 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 goes for online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Franklintown PA.