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How to Pick a Vet Tech Program near Glenside Pennsylvania

Glenside PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Glenside PA might initially seem like a daunting undertaking. After all, you must locate and enroll in a college that will provide the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach assessing and comparing programs so that you can make the correct choice? Many potential students start their due diligence process by searching for schools that are close to their residences. When they have found some nearby schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important considerations when evaluating vet tech programs, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet tech programs you are considering before you make an ultimate selection. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Job of a Vet Tech in Glenside PA

cat with cone after surgery in Glenside PA Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the primary determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of duties that they can perform within the Glenside PA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, for example for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, 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 vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training compared with assistants and generally obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the vet 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 complex functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and essentially carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, higher salaries and potential 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 internal medicine, anesthesia or urgent care. Many may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Glenside PA labs or research facilities also.

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Glenside

student attending online vet tech school in Glenside PA An alternative that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are offered via the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using several methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Glenside PA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for instance for commuting and study materials, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make sure that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is provided for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online veterinary technician program may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Glenside PA Vet Tech Schools

Questions to ask Glenside PA vet tech schools At this point 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 a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Glenside PA area and across the USA, you need to ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, one of 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 rigorous review process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a requirement for employment for a number of Glenside PA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations relating to your specific schools. As a final tip, get in touch with some Glenside PA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best approach to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Glenside PA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local vet community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate may mean 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 placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Glenside PA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Glenside PA schools you are considering what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Of course, we already covered location, but there are a few more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Glenside PA home, you have to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 in or near a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s essential that you ascertain if the veterinarian schools you are considering 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 Glenside PA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the best way to fit your vet education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Glenside PA?

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

Glenside, Pennsylvania

Glenside is a census-designated place (CDP) bordering Northwest Philadelphia in Abington, and Cheltenham townships, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,384 at the 2010 census on a land area of only 1.3 square miles. The Glenside station is one of the busiest in the SEPTA system. Glenside is located about 6 miles from Center City Philadelphia.

Glenside is bordered to the South by Wyncote, the East by Jenkintown, West by Laverock and Cheltenham twp section of North Hills, and to the North by the Abington twp neighborhoods of North Hills, Ardsley, Roslyn, and Abington.

Glenside is split into two townships: Abington Township, and Cheltenham Township, with the latter being where the majority of Glenside is located, including the United States Post Office, Glenside Library, and Glenside Memorial Hall.

Choose the Best Vet Tech School near Glenside PA

Glenside PA vet tech holding dog Selecting the ideal veterinary technician college is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students considering vet tech programs must make their selection based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you enroll in a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final selection. And by selecting the best college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Glenside PA.