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How to Find the Right Vet Tech School near Harleigh Pennsylvania

Harleigh PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your lifelong goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Harleigh PA might initially feel like a challenging undertaking. After all, you have to search for and enroll in a program that will provide the proper training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you approach reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the best selection? Many aspiring students start their due diligence process by searching for schools that are close to their residences. After they have found some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important concerns when assessing vet technician schools, they are not the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs need to be looked into also. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician schools you are considering before you make a final choice. We have presented several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll talk about the various roles of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

The Function of a Vet Tech in Harleigh PA

cat with cone after surgery in Harleigh PA One of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the main factor will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct supervision of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And while there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Harleigh PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard vet practice, such as for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a formal training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more complex activities, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training compared with assistants and typically obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more involved functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states currently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary technicians and basically carry out the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually takes 4 years. 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 career options, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in Harleigh

student attending online vet tech school in Harleigh PA An alternative that might make sense for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full-time while attending vet college is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are offered over the internet, students can study on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The course of study is taught using multiple venues, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet technician and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can normally be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Harleigh PA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, can in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, for instance for commuting and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom courses. Just confirm that the online school that you choose is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech program may be the perfect option for you.

What to Ask Harleigh PA Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Harleigh PA vet tech schools By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Harleigh PA area and across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you need to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It’s essential that you verify that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, one of 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 review process that confirms you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential 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 college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Harleigh PA area veterinary practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you choose must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school rating websites and checking with the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final tip, contact some Harleigh PA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even recommend some colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best means to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Harleigh PA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop connections in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate might mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the school has an excellent reputation within the Harleigh PA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Harleigh PA schools you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations 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 School Located? Okay, we previously talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Harleigh PA home, you have to confirm 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located in or close by a larger 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 fees particularly for state and community colleges. Of course taking classes online may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it’s imperative that you find out if the veterinarian schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Harleigh PA. Some may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are available before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family issues. You may find that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Harleigh PA?

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

Harleigh, Pennsylvania

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.58 square miles (1.5 km2), all of it land. Harleigh is located less than one mile north of the city of Hazleton, along PA 940 (an east-west road). The western terminus of PA 940 is located just west of Harleigh at PA 309 (a north-south highway); it connects Hazleton (to the south) with Mountain Top and Wilkes-Barre (to the north).

Select the Best Veterinary Technician Program near Harleigh PA

Harleigh PA vet tech holding dog Choosing the appropriate veterinary technician school is an important first step to starting a gratifying career delivering care and treatment for animals. Students looking into veterinary technician programs need to make their selection based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have covered, it’s imperative that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the field. This goes for vet tech online programs as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for reviewing schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the ideal school, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Harleigh PA.