Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Quakertown PA

How to Enroll In a Veterinary Technician Program near Quakertown Pennsylvania

Quakertown PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong goal of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a vet tech school near Quakertown PA might initially feel like a challenging task. After all, you must locate and enroll in a college that will provide the appropriate training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle assessing and comparing colleges so that you can make the best choice? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by looking for schools that are close to their residences. Once they have located some area schools, they determine which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are significant factors when assessing vet technician schools, they are by no means the only important ones when making your comparisons. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs need to be evaluated as well. The point is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician programs you are looking at before you make a final selection. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll go over the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Function of a Veterinary Technician in Quakertown PA

cat with cone after surgery in Quakertown PA One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you plan to train as a vet technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your preference may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to devote to your education, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialty appeals to you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are many duties that they can perform within the Quakertown PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose conditions, or carry out surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technologists and technicians that work away from the typical vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the job functions and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in most cases will have undergone a structured training program, either as an intern or apprentice 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. Normally they are not associated with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their normal duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared with assistants and usually obtain a two year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a sense the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from veterinary assistants is that they are included in more complicated duties, for instance assisting with surgeries or administering medicine. All states currently require vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and basically perform the same job functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years. So the only real distinction between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and potential management positions. They are also mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Veterinary techs and technologists may specialize in areas such as anesthesia, internal medicine or urgent care. Some may receive certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Quakertown PA labs or research facilities also.

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered in Quakertown

student attending online vet tech school in Quakertown PA An approach that might 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 offered via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using several methods, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that segment can normally be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Quakertown PA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, for instance for traveling and study materials, may be more affordable compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just be sure that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent manner, an online veterinary technician program may be the perfect option for you.

Questions to Ask Quakertown PA Vet Tech Schools

Questions to ask Quakertown PA vet tech schools At this point you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you want to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Quakertown PA area as well as across the USA, you should ask some relevant questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to enroll in a program 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 should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, 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 rigorous review process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Quakertown PA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and checking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions relating to your specific schools. As a final suggestion, phone some Quakertown PA veterinary clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective means to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are considering have internship programs arranged with Quakertown PA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Placement Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are considering. A lower rate might suggest that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the school has an excellent reputation within the Quakertown PA veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you may get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Quakertown PA programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to attend some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Of course, we previously covered location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your vet tech classes from your Quakertown PA home, you have to confirm that the driving time is compatible with 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 college is located near or in a larger city. Also, 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 costs particularly for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes may be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s important that you ascertain if the vet colleges you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Quakertown PA. Some may only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make up classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family issues. You may discover that an online school is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Quakertown PA?

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

Quakertown, Pennsylvania

Quakertown is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the USA. As of 2016, it had a population of 8,798.[3] The borough is 16 miles (26 km) south of Allentown and Bethlehem and 29 miles (47 km) north of Philadelphia, making Quakertown a border town of both the Delaware Valley and Lehigh Valley metropolitan areas. It is considered part of the United States Census Bureau's Philadelphia−Camden−Wilmington (PA−NJ−DE-MD) MSA and the Delaware Valley. Quakertown is surrounded by Richland Township.

On September 18, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, a convoy of wagons carrying the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia to Allentown, under the command of Col. Thomas Polk of Charlotte, North Carolina, stopped in Quakertown. The Liberty Bell was stored overnight behind the home of Evan Foulke (1237 West Broad Street), and the entourage stayed at the Red Lion Inn. The John Fries' Rebellion was also started in the Red Lion Inn in 1799.

The American Civil War along with national economic expansion changed Quakertown from a tiny village to a commercial manufacturing center. In the nineteenth century, local industrial establishments included cigar and cigar box factories, silk mills, harness factories, and stove foundries. Until 1969, Quakertown generated its own electrical power. The population of Quakertown in 1900 was 3,014; it rose to 3,801 in 1910. By 1940, the population had reached 5,150 people. At the 2010 census, the borough's population was 8,979.

Enroll in the Right Vet Tech College near Quakertown PA

Quakertown PA vet tech holding dog Picking the appropriate vet tech program is an important first step to beginning a gratifying career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Students thinking about vet tech colleges must make their decision based on a number of key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. 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 selection. And by choosing the ideal program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Quakertown PA.