Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Seven Valleys PA

How to Choose a Veterinary Technician School near Seven Valleys Pennsylvania

Seven Valleys PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term goal of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Seven Valleys PA could at first seem like a challenging undertaking. After all, you must find and enroll in a program that will deliver the necessary training so that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach evaluating and contrasting colleges so that you can make the ideal selection? Many potential students begin their due diligence process by searching for campuses that are close to their residences. Once they have located some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although expense and location are significant factors when assessing vet tech programs, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician schools you are evaluating before you make a final decision. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the varied responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Role of a Vet Tech in Seven Valleys PA

cat with cone after surgery in Seven Valleys PA Among the initial decisions that you will need to make is whether you plan 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 invest in your education, but the main factor will probably be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of jobs that they can carry out within the Seven Valleys PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the conventional vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and education prerequisites for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more involved activities, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their normal functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training in contrast to assistants and generally acquire a 2 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 basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more involved duties, such as assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to vet techs and basically perform the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally takes 4 years. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in Seven Valleys

student attending online vet tech school in Seven Valleys PA An alternative that may make sense for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full time while going to veterinarian school is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are offered through the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most vet technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Seven Valleys PA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for commuting and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make sure that the program that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything is included for a comprehensive education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more self-reliant manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect choice for you.

Questions to Ask Seven Valleys PA Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Seven Valleys PA vet tech schools At this point you should have determined which veterinary credential that you would like to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Seven Valleys PA area as well as across the United States, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our opening, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to choose a college that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s important that you make sure that the vet tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, 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 demanding screening process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a prerequisite for employment for many Seven Valleys PA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinary trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include looking on internet school ranking 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 violations concerning your targeted schools. As a final tip, get in touch with some Seven Valleys PA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out 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 way to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical setting. Ask if the schools you are considering have internship programs arranged with Seven Valleys PA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech program can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A lower rate may suggest that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were dissatisfied 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 college has an excellent reputation within the Seven Valleys PA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean 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 sized, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Seven Valleys PA colleges you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students regarding 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 School Located? Yes, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Seven Valleys PA home, you must make certain 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 in or close by 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 higher tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes may be an option 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 determine if the veterinary programs you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Seven Valleys PA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online program is the best solution to fit your vet training into your busy life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Seven Valleys PA?

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

Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania

The Seven Valleys basin was settled by forty families of the German Lutheran and Reformed faiths. They originated in the Hunsruck Mountains of the Rhineland Palatinate and arrived in this valley of the Codorus during the early fall of 1738. The lush meadows and gently rolling hills here reminded them of their homeland, even to the presence of seven valleys in the vicinity, and they called it Das Siebenthal, which in German means Seven Valleys.

By 1752 these religious hardworking farmers had organized churches and parochial schools, and holding fast to their German heritage, worshipped God and taught their children in the Pfalzer dialect of the German language for nearly 150 years.

With the coming of the railroad in 1838 and the opportunity to trade commercially with the outside world, the use of the English language gradually crept into the culture and by the end of the Civil War the use of German slowly began fading into the background.

Choose the Best Veterinary Technician College near Seven Valleys PA

Seven Valleys PA vet tech holding dog Selecting the right veterinary technician college is an important first step to starting a gratifying career providing care and treatment for animals. Students considering vet tech schools must make their determination based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to online vet tech colleges as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by choosing the right program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Seven Valleys PA.