Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Wilkes Barre PA

How to Enroll In a Vet Tech Program near Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania

Wilkes Barre PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Wilkes Barre PA may initially feel like a daunting task. After all, you must find 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 approach reviewing and contrasting programs so that you can make the proper selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are near their homes. After they have found some area colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your assessments. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into as well. The point is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet technician programs you are evaluating before you make a final choice. We have furnished several within this article to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll discuss the various roles of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in Wilkes Barre PA

cat with cone after surgery in Wilkes Barre PA One of the initial decisions that you will have to make is if you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant 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 primary determiner will most likely be which specialty appeals to you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they each work under the immediate supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous tasks that they can perform within the Wilkes Barre PA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the typical veterinarian practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training requirements for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in almost all cases will have gone through a structured 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 veterinarians and vet techs in the execution of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complex tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared with assistants and usually acquire a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their general job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are involved in more involved tasks, for instance assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically perform the same job functions. They are required to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in Wilkes Barre

student attending online vet tech school in Wilkes Barre PA An approach that may make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinarian college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are made available by means of the internet, students can attend on their own schedule wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Wilkes Barre PA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, for example for traveling and study materials, can be lower 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 provided for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the perfect choice for you.

Things to Ask Wilkes Barre PA Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Wilkes Barre PA vet tech schools At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you want 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 Wilkes Barre PA area and across the United States, you must ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to choose a school that offers the specialty and degree 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 reviewing.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the vet tech program you select 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). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a thorough screening process that verifies you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Wilkes Barre PA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the Program’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with online school rating websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Wilkes Barre PA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school choices. They may even suggest some programs not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best means to get clinical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs established with Wilkes Barre PA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help establish connections in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate might suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Wilkes Barre PA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Wilkes Barre PA colleges you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Okay, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Wilkes Barre PA home, you must make sure 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 commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located in or close by a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes might be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s essential that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Wilkes Barre PA. Others might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You may find that an online school is the best way to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Wilkes Barre PA?

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

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

Wilkes-Barre (/ˈwɪlksˌbɛər/ or /-bɛəri/) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Luzerne County. It is one of the principal cities in the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley, it is second in size to the nearby city of Scranton. The Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census, making it the fourth-largest metro/statistical area in the state of Pennsylvania. Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding Wyoming Valley are framed by the Pocono Mountains to the east, the Endless Mountains to the west, and the Lehigh Valley to the south. The Susquehanna River flows through the center of the valley and defines the northwestern border of the city.

Wilkes-Barre was founded in 1769 and formally incorporated in 1806. The city grew rapidly in the 19th century after the discovery of nearby coal reserves and the arrival of hundreds of thousands of immigrants who provided a labor force for the local mines. The coal mining fueled industrialization in the city, which reached the height of its prosperity in the first half of the 20th century. Its population peaked at more than 86,000. Following World War II, the city's economy declined due to the collapse of industry. The Knox Mine disaster accelerated this trend after large portions of the area's coal mines were flooded and could not be reopened. Today the city has a population of 40,569, making it the largest city in Luzerne County and the 13th-largest city in Pennsylvania.

By the 18th century, the Wyoming Valley was inhabited by the Shawanese and Delaware Indian (Lenape) tribes. In 1753, the Susquehanna Company was founded in Connecticut for settling the Wyoming Valley (in modern-day Pennsylvania). Connecticut succeeded in purchasing the land from the Native Americans; however, Pennsylvania already claimed the very same territory through a purchase they made in 1736. In 1762, roughly two hundred Connecticut settlers (Yankees) established a settlement near Mill Creek. They planted wheat and constructed log cabins. The Yankees returned to New England for the winter.[6]

Select the Right Vet Tech Program near Wilkes Barre PA

Wilkes Barre PA vet tech holding dog Picking the ideal veterinary technician school is a crucial first step to starting a rewarding career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Future students considering vet tech programs need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the right program, you can achieve your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Wilkes Barre PA.