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How to Choose a Vet Tech School near Lansdale Pennsylvania

Lansdale PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Lansdale PA could initially feel like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you have to locate and enroll in a college that will deliver the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle analyzing and comparing programs so that you can make the right choice? Many potential students launch their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their homes. When they have identified some area colleges, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important concerns when evaluating vet tech schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech programs you are evaluating before you make a final choice. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the various duties of veterinary technicians and the training options offered.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Lansdale PA

cat with cone after surgery in Lansdale PA One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your decision may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main determiner 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 direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And even though there are many jobs that they can carry out within the Lansdale PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work outside of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, 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 vets and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with 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 counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated duties, for example assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years. Therefore 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 job opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Many may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Lansdale PA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in Lansdale

student attending online vet tech school in Lansdale PA An option that might make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered by means of the internet, students can attend 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 the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Lansdale PA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, such as for commuting and study materials, can be more affordable compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just confirm that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant fashion, an online vet tech program may be the perfect choice for you.

Things to Ask Lansdale PA Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Lansdale PA vet tech schools By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Lansdale PA area and across the United States, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to enroll in a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously discussed, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous screening process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is often a requirement for employment for a number of Lansdale PA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinary college or trade school and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Lansdale PA veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the programs you are considering have internship programs set up with Lansdale PA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are considering. A low rate could mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may mean that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Lansdale PA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may mean that the training is not well 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 most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Lansdale PA schools you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. 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 methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Of course, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Lansdale PA home, you must make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes may be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Lansdale PA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are available before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities. You might discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Lansdale PA?

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

Lansdale, Pennsylvania

Lansdale is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Early in the 20th century, its industries included agricultural implement works, a canning factory, foundries, brickyards, a silk mill, and manufacturers of cigars, stoves, shirts, rope, iron drain pipe, and glue.[citation needed] In 1900, 2,754 people lived here; in 1910, 3,551; and in 1940, 9,316 people were inhabitants of Lansdale. The population was 16,269 at the time of the 2010 census.

The earliest known settlers in Lansdale were members of the Jenkins family. At the peak of its growth, the Jenkins homestead occupied approximately 120 acres of land. The construction of the North Pennsylvania Railroad during the 1850s contributed to rapid growth and expansion in Lansdale. Employment opportunities generated by the railroad brought settlers, housing, and local businesses to the area. By 1872, Lansdale Borough was officially incorporated and named after Phillip Lansdale Fox, chief surveyor of the North Penn Railroad. By the naming conventions of the time, it should have been called Jenkintown, since the land immediately surrounding the train station was owned by the Jenkins family, but there was already a town by that name along the rail line.[3]

Lansdale is home to a Kugel ball, which is a dark grey granite sphere supported by a very thin film of water pumped from beneath its base.[5] The Kugel Ball is located in Railroad Plaza, adjacent to the SEPTA Lansdale/Doylestown Line train station in downtown Lansdale. The plaza consists of a bricked patio with benches centered on the Kugel Ball and closes at 11:00 pm. An annual 5k race is held in June, accordingly named the Kugel Ball race, which starts and ends at the actual Kugel Ball in Railroad Plaza.

Choose the Best Veterinary Technician College near Lansdale PA

Lansdale PA vet tech holding dog Choosing the ideal vet tech college is a critical first step to beginning a gratifying career delivering treatment and care for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech schools must make their selection based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative responsibilities and assist 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 excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the ideal program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Lansdale PA.