Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Shady Grove PA

How to Find the Right Vet Tech Program near Shady Grove Pennsylvania

Shady Grove PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term aspiration of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near Shady Grove PA could initially seem like a challenging endeavor. After all, you must locate and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training to ensure that you can succeed as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle reviewing and contrasting colleges so that you can make the right choice? Many potential students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are close to their residences. Once they have located some nearby schools, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your comparisons. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be evaluated also. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the vet technician programs you are looking at before you make an ultimate selection. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the varied responsibilities of vet techs and the training options offered.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Shady Grove PA

cat with cone after surgery in Shady Grove PA One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you want to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary determiner will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are numerous tasks that they can carry out within the Shady Grove PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the conventional veterinarian practice, such as for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have gone through a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by finishing a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex activities, for example assisting with surgeries. Some of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more extensive training in contrast to assistants and usually 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 general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more involved duties, for instance assisting with surgeries or providing medicine. All states currently mandate that veterinary techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary techs and essentially perform the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet technicians and technologists may specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Shady Grove PA labs or research facilities also.

Vet Tech Online Programs Offered in Shady Grove

student attending online vet tech school in Shady Grove PA An approach that may be a solution for those with a hectic schedule or who are working full-time while attending veterinarian school is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are made available via the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using various venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Shady Grove PA veterinarian practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for instance for travel and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech school may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Shady Grove PA Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Shady Grove PA vet tech schools By now you probably have selected which veterinary degree that you would like to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Shady Grove PA area and across the Country, you must ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously mentioned other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to enroll in a school that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s important that you make sure that the veterinary technician college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier mentioned, among 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 thorough screening process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for a number of Shady Grove PA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinarian trade school or college and program you select should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on online 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 regarding your specific schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Shady Grove PA veterinarians that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think about your school choices. They may even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The most effective approach to obtain clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the programs you are considering have internship programs arranged with Shady Grove PA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate could signify that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Shady Grove PA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could 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, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Shady Grove PA colleges you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to participate in some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we already covered 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 Shady Grove PA home, you have to make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes could be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you determine if the veterinary schools you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Shady Grove PA. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of work, sickness or family responsibilities. You might find that an online college is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Shady Grove PA?

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

The Manitowoc Company

The Manitowoc Company, Inc. is an American Fortune 1000 manufacturer of cranes and, until 2016, food service equipment. The company was founded in 1902, and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On March 4, 2016, the company announced that it had completed the spin-off of its food service equipment operations into a new publicly traded company, Manitowoc Foodservices.[3]

Manitowoc Company, Inc. was founded by Charles West and Elias Gunnell in the lakeshore community of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1902. It was known as a shipbuilding and ship-repair company under the name Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company. Since that time, the company has grown and diversified, entering the lattice-boom crane business in the mid-1920s and branching into commercial refrigeration equipment shortly after World War II. During World War II, the Department of the Navy contracted Manitowoc to build a total of 28 submarines, plus the canceled USS Chicolar (SS-464).[4] Before they built the submarines for the Department of the Navy, the company built car ferries.[citation needed] In November 2002, the company acquired the Grove Crane company for approximately $271 million. In August 2016, the company announced that it would be moving its crane operations from Manitowoc to Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, a transition that was completed in mid-2017.[5] In the first quarter of 2018, the company moved its headquarters from Manitowoc to One Park Plaza in northwest Milwaukee. The building formerly occupied by the company was sold to Investors Community Bank in Manitowoc.[6][7]

Manitowoc produces several lines of cranes to serve the construction industries. The company produces high-capacity lattice-boom crawler cranes, tower cranes, and mobile telescopic cranes for heavy construction, commercial construction, energy-related, wind farm,[8] infrastructure, duty-cycle and crane-rental applications. It is also a producer of boom trucks.

Pick the Best Veterinary Technician Program near Shady Grove PA

Shady Grove PA vet tech holding dog Choosing the ideal veterinary technician program is a crucial first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about veterinary technician programs must make their determination based on multiple key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients as needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you choose a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a vet tech in Shady Grove PA.