Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Shickshinny PA

How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician Program near Shickshinny Pennsylvania

Shickshinny PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong dream of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech college near Shickshinny PA may at first seem like a challenging task. After all, you need to locate and enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle assessing and comparing colleges so that you can make the best selection? Many aspiring students begin their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. Once they have identified some local schools, they ascertain which ones have the lowest tuition and hone in on those. Although location and cost are important considerations when comparing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only important ones when making your evaluations. Factors such as accreditation and internship programs should be looked into as well. The main idea is that there are questions you need to be asking the vet tech programs you are looking at before you make an ultimate decision. We have provided several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll talk about the various roles of vet techs and the training alternatives offered.

The Responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician in Shickshinny PA

cat with cone after surgery in Shickshinny PA Among the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your preference might be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What techs and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are numerous functions that they can perform within the Shickshinny PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medicines, diagnose conditions, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they may only furnish assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical vet practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education prerequisites for each specialty.

Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have gone through a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a practice, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or vocational school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet technicians in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians go through more advanced training in contrast to 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 vet equivalent of medical nurses, since their fundamental job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from vet assistants is that they are engaged in more involved activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures or providing medicine. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing exam for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet techs and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires 4 years. Therefore the only real distinction between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s higher level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job opportunities, increased salaries and potential management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Vet Tech Programs Offered in Shickshinny

student attending online vet tech school in Shickshinny PA An alternative that may make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full-time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are provided via the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The syllabus is taught using multiple venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of veterinary technician and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can usually be carried out as an internship or work study program at a local Shickshinny PA veterinarian clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, such as for commuting and study supplies, can be more affordable compared to more standard classroom programs. Just confirm that the program that you select is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is provided for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online veterinary technician school may be the right option for you.

Things to Ask Shickshinny PA Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Shickshinny PA vet tech schools At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you wish to obtain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, trade and vocational schools in the Shickshinny PA area as well as across the Country, you need to ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you want to enroll in 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 need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s imperative that you verify that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously stated, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that confirms you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for a number of Shickshinny PA area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinarian college or trade school and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include looking on internet school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations concerning your specific schools. As a final tip, call some Shickshinny PA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest one or more colleges not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with Shickshinny PA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help build connections in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Assistance Program? Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A low rate may suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the college has an excellent reputation within the Shickshinny PA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may mean that the training is not highly regarded 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 most likely will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Shickshinny PA programs you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Get evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the College Located? Yes, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Shickshinny PA home, you must make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition costs particularly for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s imperative that you determine if the vet schools you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible 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 Shickshinny PA. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of sickness, work or family emergencies. You might discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Shickshinny PA?

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

Shickshinny, Pennsylvania

The borough is named after Shickshinny Creek, which runs through the municipality and the surrounding area. According to the book Indian Villages and Place Names in Pennsylvania (by Dr. George P. Donehoo), the community's name likely means "Fine Stream" in a local Native American language.[4] However, according to the Shickshinny Historical Society, the name Shickshinny means "Five Mountains" in a Native American language. Five mountains — Newport, Knob, Lee, River, and Rocky — encircle the creek and borough.[5]

In 1782, the families of Austin and Crossley were the first white settlers in Shickshinny. The first permanent settler in the area was Ralph Austin.[6] At this time, Shickshinny was under the jurisdiction of Connecticut.[6][7] In 1801, Shadrick Austin bought the 256 acres (104 ha) of land.[8]

Another known settler in the area was William Koons (in the 1850s).[7] Koons settled one mile outside of Shickshinny (where the Shickshinny Creek Bridge was later erected). The name of the area was changed to Koonsville (where the post office was later built). In 1773, Nathan Beach, also from Connecticut, settled outside of modern-day Shickshinny. The area was named Beach Haven after him.[9]

Enroll in the Right Veterinary Technician School near Shickshinny PA

Shickshinny PA vet tech holding dog Selecting the appropriate veterinary technician school is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career delivering care and treatment for animals. Potential students thinking about vet tech schools must make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative duties and assist the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have covered, 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 vet tech online 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 decision. And by choosing the right program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Shickshinny PA.