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How to Pick a Veterinary Technician Program near Easton Pennsylvania

Easton PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term goal of working with and caring for pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Easton PA may initially seem like a daunting endeavor. After all, you need to find and enroll in a school that will deliver the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you can make the best choice? Many future students begin their due diligence process by searching for schools that are near their homes. Once they have identified some nearby schools, they determine which ones have the lowest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important factors when assessing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician programs you are evaluating before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll explore the different responsibilities of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Easton PA

cat with cone after surgery in Easton PA Among the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference might be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your training, but the primary factor will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are numerous functions that they can perform within the Easton PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the conventional veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in the majority of cases will have undergone 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 veterinarians and vet techs in the performance of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complicated tasks, for example assisting with surgeries. A few of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians get more advanced training compared to assistants and typically earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the vet counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from vet assistants is that they are involved in more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states presently require vet techs pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and basically carry out the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes 4 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 career opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

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

Online Vet Tech Schools Offered in Easton

student attending online vet tech school in Easton PA An approach that might be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to veterinary college is to enroll in an online training program. Because the classes are made available over the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using multiple methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since most veterinary tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Easton PA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in some instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenses, for example for commuting and study materials, may be lower compared to more conventional classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is furnished for a comprehensive education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more self-reliant mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the right option for you.

Things to Ask Easton PA Veterinary Technician Colleges

Questions to ask Easton PA vet tech schools At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Easton PA area and across the Country, you need to ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other significant qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the vet tech college you enroll in 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 gone through a demanding review process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a prerequisite for employment for a number of Easton PA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations relating to your targeted schools. As a final pointer, call some Easton PA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest one or more schools not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best approach to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs arranged with Easton PA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build relationships in the local vet community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate might mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the school has an excellent reputation within the Easton PA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Easton PA programs you are researching what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Easton PA home, you have to confirm that the driving time is compatible with 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, particularly if the campus is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do decide 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. On the other hand, attending online classes may be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Easton PA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family responsibilities. You may find that an online school is the best way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Easton PA?

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

Easton, Pennsylvania

Easton is a city in and the county seat of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States.[3] The city's population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census.[4] Easton is located at the confluence of the Delaware River and the Lehigh River, roughly 55 miles (89 km) north of Philadelphia and 70 miles (110 km) west of New York City.

Easton is the easternmost city in the Lehigh Valley, a region of 731 square miles (1,893 km2) that is home to more than 800,000 people. Together with Allentown and Bethlehem, the Valley embraces the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metropolitan area, including Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon counties within Pennsylvania, and Warren County in the adjacent state of New Jersey. Easton is the smallest of the three Lehigh Valley cities, with approximately one-fourth of the population of the largest Lehigh Valley city, Allentown. In turn, this metropolitan area comprises Pennsylvania's third-largest metropolitan area and the state's largest and most populous contribution to the greater New York City metropolitan area.

The city is split up into four sections: Historic Downtown, which lies directly to the north of the Lehigh River, to the west of the Delaware River, continuing west to Sixth Street; The West Ward, which lies between Sixth and Fifteenth Streets; The South Side, which lies south of the Lehigh River; and College Hill, a neighborhood on the hills to the north of downtown, which is the home of Lafayette College, a liberal arts and engineering institution. The boroughs of Wilson, West Easton, and Glendon are also directly adjacent to the city; the first and largest of which, Wilson, partially aligns in the same North-South Grid as the city of Easton.

Choose the Best Vet Tech College near Easton PA

Easton PA vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the ideal veterinary technician school is an important first step to starting a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Students looking into veterinary technician colleges must make their selection based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly take on administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final choice. And by choosing the best school, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Easton PA.