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How to Pick a Veterinary Technician School near Orrstown Pennsylvania

Orrstown PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near Orrstown PA may initially seem like a challenging undertaking. After all, you must find and enroll in a college that will furnish the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach analyzing and comparing programs so that you can make the correct choice? Many future students launch their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their homes. After they have found some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important considerations when assessing vet technician programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are evaluating before you make a final decision. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the varied duties of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in Orrstown PA

cat with cone after surgery in Orrstown PA One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you plan to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the principal factor will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of duties that they can carry out within the Orrstown PA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have gone through a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a trade school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared to assistants and normally acquire a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complex activities, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medication. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially perform the same work functions. They are mandated to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically takes four years to complete. Therefore the main difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Orrstown

student attending online vet tech school in Orrstown PA An approach that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available over the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can normally be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Orrstown PA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, for instance for traveling and study supplies, can be lower compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. 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 mode, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect option for you.

Things to Ask Orrstown PA Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Orrstown PA vet tech schools At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian credential that you wish to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Orrstown PA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many potential students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And of course you need to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech schools that you are looking at.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s important that you verify that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, one of the most highly respected 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 receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Orrstown PA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The vet trade school or college and program you select must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final tip, contact some Orrstown PA veterinarians that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the schools you are considering have internship programs established with Orrstown PA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish connections in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate could mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Orrstown PA veterinarian community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Orrstown PA programs you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we already talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to commute to your vet tech classes from your Orrstown PA home, you must confirm 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online might be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the vet schools you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Orrstown PA. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss as a result of sickness, work or family responsibilities. You might find that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Orrstown PA?

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

Orrstown, Pennsylvania

Orrstown was founded in 1833 by the Orr brothers. It is surrounded by Southampton Township in Franklin County, on the old state road from Shippensburg to Upper Strasburg. Settlements were made in that neighborhood as early as 1738. Before the completion of the Pennsylvania Railroad, horses and cattle were annually driven down the state road (now Pennsylvania Route 533/Orrstown Road) to eastern markets. The town was laid out in 1833, by John, William and James Orr.[4] At first, they called it "Southampton", after the township; but in 1835, when application was made for a post office to be called Southampton, the Post Office Department refused because there was already a post office of that name. George Chambers, who represented the area in Congress, named the post office "Orrstown", and the name has since been attached to the town.

It was incorporated as a borough on May 3, 1847, and in 1878 the town had one hotel, two stores, one carriage factory, and four churches: Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Brethren and Winebrennerian. The populations was then 325.[5]

Orrstown is located in northeastern Franklin County at 40°3′31″N 77°36′33″W / 40.05861°N 77.60917°W / 40.05861; -77.60917 (40.058482, -77.609213),[6] at the intersection of Pennsylvania Routes 433 (Rowe Run Road) and 533 (Orrstown Road). PA 433 leads northwest 5 miles (8 km) to Roxbury and south 5 miles to the Letterkenny Army Depot. Chambersburg, the county seat, is 11 miles (18 km) to the south via PA 433 and U.S. Route 11. PA 533 leads east 5 miles to Shippensburg and west 6 miles (10 km) to Upper Strasburg.

Choose the Right Vet Tech College near Orrstown PA

Orrstown PA vet tech holding dog Selecting the appropriate veterinary technician college is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Future students looking into vet tech programs need to make their selection based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks 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 profession. This applies to vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right college, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Orrstown PA.