Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Slatington PA

How to Choose a Vet Tech School near Slatington Pennsylvania

Slatington PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Achieving your long term dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Slatington PA may at first feel like a daunting endeavor. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a program that will provide the appropriate training to ensure that you can succeed as a vet tech. But just how do you approach reviewing and contrasting programs so that you can make the correct selection? Many potential students start their due diligence process by searching for colleges that are near their homes. After they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although location and expense are important factors when assessing veterinary technician schools, they are not the only significant ones when making your assessments. Factors such as internship programs and accreditation should be looked into also. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician schools you are looking at before you make an ultimate decision. We have presented several within this article to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll explore the various roles of vet techs and the training alternatives available.

The Function of a Vet Tech in Slatington PA

cat with cone after surgery in Slatington PA One of the initial decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your decision may be based on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the main factor will probably be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they both work under the direct guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And even though there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Slatington PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgical procedures. In those areas they may only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for zoos, animal shelters or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in almost all instances will have completed a formal training program, either as an intern or apprentice in a practice, or by completing 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 completion of their duties. Normally they are not associated with more involved undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. A few of their typical functions may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or controlling pets during examinations.
Vet Technicians receive more advanced training in contrast to assistants and typically earn a 2 year Associate Degree, ideally from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian equivalent of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist vets with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they vary from vet assistants is that they are included in more complex tasks, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently mandate that vet techs pass a credentialing exam for either licensing, registration or certification.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and essentially perform the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which generally takes four years to complete. So the main difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more job options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Schools Offered in Slatington

student attending online vet tech school in Slatington PA An option that may be a solution for those with a busy schedule or who are working full-time while going to vet college is to enroll in an online program. Because the classes are offered over the internet, students can study on their own schedule wherever a computer is available. The course of study is taught using various venues, including videos, slide shows and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require clinical training, that segment can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Slatington PA veterinary clinic or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances reduce the cost of your education. Tuition and ancillary costs, such as for commuting and study materials, may be lower compared to more standard classroom programs. Just be sure that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting agency. With the online courses and the practical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online veterinary technician program may be the right option for you.

Things to Ask Slatington PA Veterinary Technician Programs

Questions to ask Slatington PA vet tech schools At this point you probably have selected which veterinary credential that you want to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinarian community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Slatington PA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we mentioned in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to choose a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.

Is the Vet School Accredited? It’s essential that you confirm that the vet tech program you choose 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). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding screening process that verifies you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is frequently a requirement for employment for many Slatington PA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School’s Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you choose should have an exceptional reputation within the veterinarian community. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on online school ranking websites and speaking with the school’s accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Pennsylvania school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final pointer, phone some Slatington PA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They might even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.

Are there Internship Programs? The best means to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the schools you are considering have internship programs established with Slatington PA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship may also help develop relationships in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate might signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may mean that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Slatington PA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate may indicate that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you most likely will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Slatington PA schools you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to attend a couple of classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Of course, we previously talked about location, but there are a few more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Slatington PA home, you have to make sure that the driving 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, especially if the school is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online could be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it’s essential that you ascertain if the vet programs you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Slatington PA. Others may only be able to go to class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online program is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Slatington PA?

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

Slatington, Pennsylvania

Slatington is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It is located 20 miles north of Bethlehem, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is 62 miles south of Scranton, and 70 miles north of Philadelphia.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2), of which 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (4.35%) is water.

Slatington's elevation is 738 feet above sea level. Slatington's elevation varies from 330 feet at the Lehigh River on the east side of town to 750 feet by the Union Cemetery on Route 873 to the south.

Choose the Best Veterinary Technician Program near Slatington PA

Slatington PA vet tech holding dog Enrolling in the ideal vet tech school is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career providing care and treatment for animals. Potential students looking into veterinary technician programs need to make their determination based on several key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in vet clinics, animal hospitals and animal shelters. They typically handle administrative responsibilities and support the veterinarian with the animals when needed. As we have discussed, it’s very important that you pick a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the field. This applies to vet tech online schools as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final decision. And by picking the right college, you can reach your goal of becoming a vet tech in Slatington PA.