Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Homer City PA

How to Enroll In a Vet Tech Program near Homer City Pennsylvania

Homer City PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your long term aspiration of working with and helping pets by enrolling in a veterinary technician school near Homer City PA could initially feel like a daunting task. After all, you must search for and enroll in a program that will provide the necessary training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you go about reviewing and comparing schools so that you can make the ideal choice? Many future students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their residences. After they have located some nearby colleges, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are significant concerns when evaluating vet technician programs, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation should be evaluated also. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the veterinary technician schools you are reviewing before you make a final decision. We have provided several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the varied duties of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Responsibilities of a Vet Tech in Homer City PA

cat with cone after surgery in Homer City PA Among the first decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the main factor will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they each work under the immediate direction of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of functions that they can perform within the Homer City PA veterinary practice or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each position.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have completed a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the performance of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their regular functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and generally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are involved in more involved activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently require veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and basically perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires 4 years. Therefore the main distinction 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 also required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Vet Tech Online Schools Offered in Homer City

student attending online vet tech school in Homer City PA An alternative that may be a solution for those with a hectic lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinary college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are offered via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The educational program is taught using several venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Homer City PA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary expenditures, for example for travel and study supplies, can be lower compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just be sure that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician school may be the ideal choice for you.

Things to Ask Homer City PA Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Homer City PA vet tech schools At this point you should have selected which veterinary degree that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Homer City PA area as well as across the USA, you must ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you want to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s essential that you make sure that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously discussed, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough screening process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not obtainable for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a requirement for employment for a number of Homer City PA area vet clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian trade school or college and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include looking on internet 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 concerning your specific schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Homer City PA vet clinics that you might want 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 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 set up with Homer City PA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A low rate might indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the school has an excellent reputation within the Homer City PA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate 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 sized, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Homer City PA colleges you are considering what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to participate in some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Yes, we already talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Homer City PA home, you have to 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 drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or close by a large city. Also, if you do choose to attend a school 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 attending classes online may be an option 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 determine if the vet schools you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Homer City PA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Homer City PA?

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

Homer City, Pennsylvania

Homer City is a borough in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,707 at the 2010 census. Homer City is located in the Indiana metro area. The community was named for the famous Greek poet Homer by founder William Wilson in 1854. It was incorporated as a borough in 1872.

The two treaties of Fort Stanwix (of 1768 and, after American independence, of 1784) secured the westward expansion of Pennsylvania into the region where the Borough of Homer City is now located, on land inhabited by the six Indian nations. With white settlement these new territories were initially organized as part of existing counties in eastern and central Pennsylvania. White settlers were few in the eighteenth century and encountering Indians still very much a part of daily life. Any degree of stability and safety came only after the Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794). Indiana County was carved out of Westmoreland and Lycoming counties in 1803 and divided into three townships: Wheatfield, Armstrong, and Mahoning. The confluence of Two Lick and Yellow creeks (present-day Homer City) was a contender for the seat of government for the new county, but instead the "extraordinary overtures" of George Clymer, a local landowners and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, saw the county seat situated instead in what would become the Borough of Indiana. Center Township - the unincorporated area surrounding present-day Homer City - was created from a portion of Armstrong Township in 1807, its landscape dotted with larger and smaller family homesteads (farms) and an increasing number of mills and trading posts.

Parts of Center Township were settled early on by Scots-Irish Presbyterians as in other parts of Indiana County, but Methodist families of English and Welsh descent came to dominate the Homer City area, and they remained prominent in its civic and commercial life well into the twentieth century. William Wilson laid out the village of Homer in 1854 naming it after the Classical Greek poet. For several years, however, its post office was designated Phillips Mill (or Mills on some maps), a name derived from that of early settler Armour Phillips, Sr. When the village became a borough in 1872 - with the consolidation and annexation of neighboring parcels - more and more it was referred to as Homer City.

Pick the Right Veterinary Technician School near Homer City PA

Homer City PA vet tech holding dog Picking the ideal vet tech college is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students looking into vet tech schools must make their decision based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals 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 applies to online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives so that you can make your final selection. And by picking the right program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Homer City PA.