Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Waterville PA

How to Find the Right Veterinary Technician School near Waterville Pennsylvania

Waterville PA vet tech diagnosing puppy Realizing your lifelong goal of working with and caring for animals by enrolling in a vet tech program near Waterville PA may at first feel like an overwhelming endeavor. After all, you need to search for and enroll in a program that will deliver the proper training so that you can be successful as a vet tech. But just how do you tackle evaluating and comparing schools so that you can make the right selection? Many future students launch their due diligence process by looking for campuses that are close to their residences. When they have found some nearby schools, they ascertain which ones have the cheapest tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are important considerations when evaluating vet tech programs, they are by no means the only significant ones when making your evaluations. Qualifiers such as internship programs and accreditation need to be looked into as well. The point is that there are questions you should be asking the veterinary technician programs you are considering before you make an ultimate decision. We have furnished several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we review them we’ll talk about the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training alternatives offered.

The Job of a Veterinary Technician in Waterville PA

cat with cone after surgery in Waterville PA One of the first decisions that you will need to make is if you wish to train as a veterinary assistant, technician or technologist. Part of your decision might be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to invest in your education, but the principal determiner will most likely be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants share in common is that they all work under the direct supervision of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are a number of functions that they can perform within the Waterville PA veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or conduct surgeries. In those areas they can only furnish support to a licensed vet. There are technologists and technicians that work exclusive of the standard veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or law enforcement. Let’s take a look at the duties and training prerequisites for each specialization.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone 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 completion of their duties. Usually they are not involved with more involved undertakings, such as assisting with surgeries. Some of their usual responsibilities may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing examination rooms and equipment, or handling pets during exams.
Vet Technicians undergo more extensive training compared to 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 counterparts 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 complicated functions, for example assisting with surgical procedures or administering medicine. All states presently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing examination for either certification, registration or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to vet technicians and for the most part perform the same job functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which normally requires four years to complete. So the only real distinction 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 potential management positions. They are also required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

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

Online Veterinary Technician Programs Offered in Waterville

student attending online vet tech school in Waterville PA An alternative that might make sense for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while attending veterinary school is to enroll in an online program. Since the classes are made available through the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The curriculum is taught using multiple methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since many vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that portion can typically be fulfilled as an internship or work study program at a local Waterville PA veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances decrease the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary expenses, for example for travel and study materials, may be cheaper compared to more conventional classroom courses. Just make sure that the program that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally recognized accrediting agency. With the online classes and the practical training, everything is furnished for a complete education. So if you are dedicated enough to learn in this more independent fashion, an online vet tech program may be the perfect choice for you.

Things to Ask Waterville PA Vet Tech Colleges

Questions to ask Waterville PA vet tech schools At this point you probably have selected which veterinarian degree that you want to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Waterville PA area as well as across the USA, you should ask some important questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already mentioned other important qualifiers, for instance accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to choose a school that offers the degree and specialty that you would like to earn. These and other qualifications are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited? It’s imperative that you confirm that the vet tech college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough screening process that ensures you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for many Waterville PA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with 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 complaints or violations regarding your targeted schools. As a final recommendation, phone some Waterville PA veterinary 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 suggest some programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have internship programs established with Waterville PA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help establish connections in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate could suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, confirm that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might mean that the college has an excellent reputation within the Waterville PA veterinarian community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Waterville PA colleges you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get feedback from students relating to 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? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Waterville PA home, you need to make certain that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 in or near a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs particularly for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s imperative that you find out if the vet colleges you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Waterville PA. Others may only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies. You might find that an online school is the ideal way to fit your vet education into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Waterville PA?

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

Waterville Bridge

Select the Right Veterinary Technician Program near Waterville PA

Waterville PA vet tech holding dog Picking the ideal vet tech school is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for animals. Future students looking into veterinary technician programs need to make their determination based on a number of key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They commonly handle administrative tasks and assist the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it’s imperative that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an outstanding reputation within the profession. This goes for online vet tech schools as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for assessing schools, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make your final choice. And by selecting the ideal program, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Waterville PA.