Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Lincoln University PA

How to Enroll In a Vet Tech Program near Lincoln University Pennsylvania

Lincoln University PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your long term dream of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Lincoln University PA may initially feel like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a program that will furnish the appropriate training to ensure that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle assessing and comparing programs so that you can make the best choice? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are close to their residences. Once they have located some local schools, they find out which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although cost and location are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Qualifications such as internship programs and accreditation need to be considered also. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet tech schools you are looking at before you make an ultimate choice. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Job of a Vet Tech in Lincoln University PA

cat with cone after surgery in Lincoln University PA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your training, but the principal determiner will probably be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are many jobs that they can perform within the Lincoln University PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have gone through a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing 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. Usually they are not involved with more complicated undertakings, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared to assistants and normally obtain a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complex activities, such as assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and essentially carry out the same work functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes four years to complete. 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 career options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. A number may earn certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Lincoln University PA laboratories or research facilities also.

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered in Lincoln University

student attending online vet tech school in Lincoln University PA An alternative that might make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered over the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The educational program is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Lincoln University PA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and secondary expenditures, for instance for commuting and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online vet tech program may be the perfect option for you.

Questions to Ask Lincoln University PA Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Lincoln University PA vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinary credential that you wish to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Lincoln University PA area and across the Country, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many potential students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously mentioned other important qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s essential that you verify that the vet tech college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, one of 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 confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a requirement for employment for a number of Lincoln University PA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinary college or trade school and program you choose should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations relating to your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Lincoln University PA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective way to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Lincoln University PA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local vet community and assist 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 may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A lower rate might suggest 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 assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Lincoln University PA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you most likely will receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Lincoln University PA programs you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Of course, we already talked about 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 Lincoln University 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 commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located in or close by 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 increased tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s important that you determine if the veterinary schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit 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 Lincoln University PA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of work, sickness or family emergencies. You might discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Lincoln University PA?

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

Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)

Lincoln University (LU) is public historically black university (HBCU) in Oxford, Pennsylvania. Founded as a private university in 1854, it has been a public institution since 1972 and was the United States' first degree-granting HBCU.[4] Its main campus is located on 422 acres near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The university has a second location in University City, Philadelphia. Lincoln University provides undergraduate and graduate coursework to approximately 2,000 students. The University is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

While a majority of Lincoln University students are African Americans, the university has a long history of accepting students of other races and nationalities.[5] Women have received degrees since 1953[5] and made up 60% of undergraduate enrollment in 2015.[6]

In 1854 Rev. John Miller Dickey, a Presbyterian minister, and his wife, Sarah Emlen Cresson, a Quaker, founded Ashmun Institute, later named Lincoln University, in Hinsonville. They named it after Jehudi Ashmun, a religious leader and social reformer. They founded the school for the education of African Americans, who had few opportunities for higher education.

Enroll in the Ideal Vet Tech School near Lincoln University PA

Lincoln University PA vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the right veterinary technician college is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students thinking about veterinary technician colleges need to make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have covered, it’s essential that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Lincoln University PA.