Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Greensburg PA

How to Enroll In a Veterinary Technician School near Greensburg Pennsylvania

Greensburg PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician program near Greensburg PA may initially seem like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you must find and enroll in a school that will furnish the proper training to ensure that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle evaluating and contrasting schools so that you can make the right choice? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by looking for schools that are near their homes. When they have found some area schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when assessing vet tech schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered also. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech schools you are reviewing before you make a final selection. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the different duties of vet techs and the training options available.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Greensburg PA

cat with cone after surgery in Greensburg PA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many duties that they can carry out within the Greensburg PA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical vet practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education prerequisites for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Generally they are not associated with more complex activities, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared to assistants and usually earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated functions, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet technicians and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally requires 4 years to complete. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet 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 Greensburg PA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in Greensburg

student attending online vet tech school in Greensburg PA An approach that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are offered through the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Greensburg PA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenses, for instance for travel and study supplies, may be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just be sure that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online vet tech program may be the ideal choice for you.

Things to Ask Greensburg PA Veterinary Technician Schools

Questions to ask Greensburg PA vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Greensburg PA area and across the USA, you must ask some relevant questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to choose a program that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the vet tech school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier discussed, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous screening process that verifies you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is frequently a requirement for employment for many Greensburg PA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on internet school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing department if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, call some Greensburg PA veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They might even suggest some colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best way to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Greensburg PA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate may suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Greensburg PA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Greensburg PA programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Greensburg PA home, you have to make sure 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 commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located close by or within a larger city. Also, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online could be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s essential that you find out if the veterinarian schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Greensburg PA. Some might only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family issues. You may find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Greensburg PA?

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

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Greensburg is a city in and the county seat of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States,[5] and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city lies within the Laurel Highlands and the ecoregion of the Western Allegheny Plateau.[6] The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. The population was 14,892 at the 2010 census.

Located 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Greensburg is a major business, academic, tourism and cultural center in Western Pennsylvania. It is evident as the city's population doubles during work hours. The city ranks seventh in Pennsylvania in daytime growth, behind Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, King of Prussia, Lancaster, and State College. It also ranks 16th in the United States for daytime growth among towns with a resident population between 15,000 and 24,999.[7] In 2007, Greensburg was ranked as one of the "Best Places to Retire" in Pennsylvania by U.S. News & World Report.[8]

After the end of the Revolutionary War, an inn was built along a wagon trail that stretched from Philadelphia west over the Appalachian Mountains to Fort Pitt, now the city of Pittsburgh. A tiny settlement known as Newtown grew around the inn, today the center of Greensburg's Business District at the intersection of Pittsburgh and Main Streets. At Pittsburgh, the wagon trail became Penn Avenue.

Choose the Best Vet Tech School near Greensburg PA

Greensburg PA vet tech holding dog Picking the right veterinary technician program is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students thinking about vet tech programs must make their decision based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative duties and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final decision. And by selecting the ideal program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Greensburg PA.