Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Sellersville PA

How to Select a Vet Tech School near Sellersville Pennsylvania

Sellersville PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a vet tech school near Sellersville PA may initially feel like a daunting task. After all, you must find and enroll in a program that will deliver the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the best selection? Many future students start their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their homes. Once they have located some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although expense and location are important concerns when evaluating vet tech programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifications such as accreditation and internship programs need to be considered as well. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are looking at before you make a final selection. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll discuss the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Job of a Vet Tech in Sellersville PA

cat with cone after surgery in Sellersville PA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is whether you want to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your determination may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the principal determiner will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can perform within the Sellersville PA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or perform surgical procedures. In those areas they may only provide support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the standard vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing 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 performance of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex undertakings, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training in contrast to assistants and typically acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are included in more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years to complete. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more career opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Veterinary Technician Online Schools Offered in Sellersville

student attending online vet tech school in Sellersville PA An alternative that might make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available over the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using various methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Sellersville PA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenditures, such as for traveling and study materials, may be lower compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just make certain 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 clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online veterinary technician program may be the right option for you.

What to Ask Sellersville PA Vet Tech Programs

Questions to ask Sellersville PA vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinary degree 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, trade and vocational schools in the Sellersville PA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to enroll in a program 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 should ask the vet tech schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s important that you confirm that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a requirement for employment for many Sellersville PA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with internet school rating websites and contacting 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 tip, contact some Sellersville PA veterinarians that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend one or more schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective means to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are considering have internship programs arranged with Sellersville PA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish connections in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A lower rate might suggest that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might signify that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Sellersville 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 assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Sellersville PA programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Sellersville PA home, you need to confirm that the driving 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 school is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes may be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the veterinarian colleges you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Sellersville PA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are available prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family issues. You may discover that an online school is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Sellersville PA?

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

Sellersville, Pennsylvania

Sellersville was founded in the early 18th century. It was centered on a major road known as Bethlehem Pike that connected Philadelphia to Bethlehem and the rest of what was then far Western Pennsylvania. The town was very small and was called Sellers Tavern. Its most notable feature was a large inn. The present Washington House in Sellersville, however, was not Sellers Tavern. The town grew slowly over the years until the Industrial Revolution. In the 1860s the North Pennsylvania Railroad was built, running parallel to Bethlehem Pike: this stimulated the growth of light textile industries and brought a wave of population growth. The East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek runs through the town which connects it to an adjacent town of Perkasie. This creek was dammed in the early 20th century creating a small body of water known as Lake Lenape. Along the length of the lake a park was built on Perkasie and Sellersville lands. In the 1920s and 1930s this park housed a carousel, a roller coaster and several other amusements. The railroad brought hundreds of people from Philadelphia in the summer time, and it became a well known vacation spot for blue collar city workers. The town was also home to the Radium Company of America, which was the largest uranium milling facility in the world at the time. A business operating under the name of the United States Gauge Company originated in Sellersville in 1904 and allegedly became a prominent manufacturer of gauges for military use, many of which were coated with radium-based paint[3] for nighttime luminesence. The company later became instrumental in the production of nuclear weapons,[4] leaving behind a legacy of industrial and radioactive contamination that has been well-hidden by local, county, state, and federal government agencies for decades.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Today the town is still relatively small, sandwiched in between a ridge line and the larger town of Perkasie. The center of town still runs along Bethlehem Pike which is now called Old Route 309. The Washington House has recently been restored to become an upscale restaurant. Next door to the restaurant was a livery stable, which was converted into a theater (later a movie theater) in 1894. It has since been restored, and reopened in 2001 as Sellersville Theater 1894- a popular live music venue. The creek is still dammed but only the carousel in Perkasie remains of the amusements. The textile industry has long moved out of the area and Sellersville has become mainly a residential town for people working in the many urban centers that are only a short commute away. Grand View Hospital, Bucks County’s first hospital, has provided residents of Bucks and Montgomery counties with comprehensive healthcare services since 1913. The town is surrounded on three sides by open country and spread out housing developments. The local firehouse provides various activities throughout the year, including a carnival in the summer. The Holiday House Pool and Recreation Center becomes a hotspot for people to escape the heat during the summer as well. There are various business along Main Street one of which is the Washington House. This strip of businesses along Main Street provide some jobs as well, but largely the town remains a residential area. There is a Sellersville Museum off of Main Street which displays different exhibits every month.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (1.69%) is water. It is located in Southeastern Pennsylvania as part of Northern Bucks County (colloquially referred to as Upper Bucks) which borders Northampton County, and Lehigh County.

As of the census[16] of 2010, there were 4,249 people residing in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough was 93.6% White, 1.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population.

Pick the Right Veterinary Technician Program near Sellersville PA

Sellersville PA vet tech holding dog Picking the appropriate vet tech school is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for animals. Potential students considering vet tech schools must make their decision based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, it’s essential 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 included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your choices so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the right college, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Sellersville PA.