For novice veterinarians in Pennsylvania, the future looks very bright. The list below presents limited but competitive veterinary schools in Pennsylvania.
Applicants wishing to study in a highly respected veterinary program must have a university degree and a degree in a relevant field of studies, such as genetics, animal science or anatomy.
Lucky students who will be accepted into the program can count on an intensive 4-year program with laboratories, research and lectures before receiving the DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine).
If you want to become a veterinary technician in Pennsylvania, you must complete an accredited veterinary technician/technology program.
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What is University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School Tuition?
The University of Pennsylvania offers D.V.M for $32,450 per year for residents or $41,460 per year for non-residents.
Total cost of visiting the Penn Vet includes tuition, payment and estimated expenses for books, supplies, accommodation and meals.
There are also various expenses for such things as personal belongings, loan fees and health insurance contributions. (Health insurance is mandatory for all Penn Vet students.)
All students, regardless of whether they have recently been enrolled or are currently enrolled, must create a workable budget to pay for tuition and tuition, as well as living and other expenses incurred during their studies.
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What is Penn Vet School Acceptance Rate?
If you’re wondering what the level of acceptance of Penn vets is, just know that the competition is fierce.
The level of admission of Penn veterinarians varies from year to year depending on the number of applicants.
The profile of class 2026 shows that the average GPA of the introductory class ranged from 2.91 to 4.0.
As you can see, this is a wide range of average scores, and each school accepts students with lower average scores.
Examining Penn’s veterinary acceptance rate, you can see that you can enter a veterinary school with a GPA of 3.2.
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Best Veterinary Schools in Pennsylvania
#1 California University of Pennsylvania
The University of California, Pennsylvania offers a Young Veterinary Specialist degree that prepares students to enter this exciting field as entry-level veterinary technicians.
Students in this program will learn the laws of animal care, as well as learn about the anatomy, disease, and behaviour of animals, as well as best practices for managing, recording, and handling animals.
The program consists of 60 credits and includes courses such as anatomy and physiology of pets; acquaintance with veterinary technology; care and maintenance of exotic and laboratory animals.
Veterinary clinical technology and laboratory procedures; veterinary pharmacy and pharmacology; and surgical care, anaesthesia and pain management.
Credits obtained under this program can be used to obtain a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology.
Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible to take the national veterinary exam. As CVTEA’s initial accreditation was obtained in 2021, first-pass VTNE rates are not yet available.
#2 Harcum College
Harcum College, located in Brin Moore, offers students a program with a degree in veterinary technology.
Under this 92 credit program, you will be prepared to work as veterinary technicians in private veterinary practices, zoos or wildlife medicine, pharmaceutical sales, biomedical research, teaching, livestock.
Students will be required to complete two 12-week internships: one at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital and one at the New Bolton Center.
here you have the opportunity to gain clinical experience at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
This program typically takes six semesters to complete both didactic and clinical practices. In the period from 2018 to 2021, the level of passing the VTNE for Harcum graduates for the first time was 84 percent.
#3 Institute of Medical and Business Careers
The Institute for Medical and Business Careers in Erie offers an Associate of Veterinary Technician in the Specialized Technology Program (AST).
Students enrolled in the program study in a new 12,000-square-foot facility. They gain hands-on experience working with animals at partner clinical centres such as the ANNA West Shelter.
In addition to course work, including parasitology; laboratory and clinical skills of veterinary technicians; images of companion animals; and more, students enrolled in the program are expected to meet general educational requirements such as English, math, and biology.
The program lasts 1.5 years, is offered in day or evening format, and students will enjoy the number of classes up to 35 or less.
As the initial CVTEA accreditation was obtained in 2019, VTNE rates for the first pass are not yet available.
#4 Johnson College
Johnson College offers a 74-credit degree in veterinary technology. On campus, students gain practical knowledge and skills at the Johnson College Animal Care Centre.
The program offers regular exams, dental care, neutering and castration, and laboratory diagnostics for dogs and cats.
Courses include clinical applications for small and large animals; animal anatomy and physiology; parasitology and immunology; surgical nursing; and more.
Johnson College graduates have an impressive three-year VTNE pass for the first time, at 94 percent (2018-2021).
Graduates have opportunities in many areas of veterinary medicine, such as research facilities, clinics for small and large animals, zoos, academia, pharmaceutical companies, laboratories, and government agencies.
#5 Lancaster County Career and Technology Center
Another option is through the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center. Future veterinarians will complete a 21-month program with 74 credits (AST) on the Willow Street campus.
Combining classroom theory with laboratory experience, the program teaches students topics such as care, proper washing, surgical procedures and feeding techniques, and general animal care.
Courses include laboratory animals, birds and exotics; great animal science; management of the veterinary office; emergency small animal; veterinary dentistry; and more.
63.19% of Lancaster County CTC candidates passed the VTNE on the first attempt between 2017 and 2020.
Graduates will be prepared to perform several tasks, such as obtaining animal health certificates, scheduling appointments, admitting and discharging patients, submitting medical records, and all aspects of customer relations.
#6 Lehigh Carbon Community College
Lehigh Carbon Community College offers a degree in Applied Science (AAS) in veterinary technology that works with Northampton Community College.
Students in this program will be allowed to develop technical skills through several clinical experiments with live animals. Graduates will be prepared to take the exam of the National Veterinary Commission.
The program consists of 68 credits and includes courses such as animal management and nutrition; familiarity with computers and applications; physiological chemistry; veterinary clinical laboratory methods.
In the period from 2018 to 2021, the level of passing the National Examination of Veterinary Technician (VTNE) for graduates of Lehigh Carbon Community College for the first time was 85 percent.
#7 Manor College
The campus offers practical laboratories in surgery, large and small animals, radiology and more.
The 85-credit program includes courses in hematology; medicines for animals; veterinary radiology; veterinary pharmacology, anesthesiology and pain treatment; animal nutrition; dentistry of small animals; and more.
It is most remarkable that the clinical sections are relatively small, they have only six or eight students, which guarantees adequate individual training.
The college is just a short distance from Philadelphia and offers graduates a two-year law degree (AS) after coursework in subjects such as breed and behavior, laboratory animals, and hematology.
On average, from 2018 to 2021, the graduates of “Sadiba” received more than 90 percent of the passing scores of VTNE.
#8 Pittsburgh Career Institute
The Pittsburgh Career Institute offers a degree in law (AST) in veterinary technology.
The 88-credit program combines internships in their laboratories, X-ray and surgical facilities, as well as in educational institutions, including farms, veterinary offices for horses, animal shelters, hospitals and clinics.
Courses include methods of hematology and urine analysis; internal parasitology; breeds / preventive medicine; specialized food; care for birds and exotics; veterinary surgical nurse; and more.
Between 2018 and 2021, PCI graduates had a VTNE level of 38 percent for the first time.
#9 Vet Tech Institute
Veterinary Technical Institute, which operates in four cities across the country, is another popular school of veterinary technicians in Pennsylvania.
Here, students are prepared for the National Veterinary Technician Exam (VTNE) in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Texas.
The program consists of 63 credits, including animal behavior courses; veterinarian; animal husbandry; and anesthesia.
Between 2018 and 2021, the Veterinary Technical Institute had 71 percent of VTNE admissions among Pittsburgh graduates.
Students in this program will also spend eight weeks on an external basis to put into practice what they have learned and establish contacts in the field.
#10 Wilson College
Wilson College in Philadelphia is another affordable veterinary school in Pennsylvania. Wilson offers a four-year Bachelor of Science (BS) in Veterinary Technology.
This program has three concentrations for students depending on their career aspirations: Veterinary Biology, Veterinary Business Management and Equi-Assist.
All concentrations offer core courses such as pharmacology; laboratory zoology; acquaintance with a veterinarian; infectious diseases and diagnostics; veterinary anatomy and physiology; and more.
Although it takes more time to complete a bachelor’s program than it does to earn a junior degree, it can offer students more advanced instruction and can improve career prospects and chances of passing the VTNE.
In 2018-2021, the first-year success rate among Wilson College graduates was 67 percent.
#11 YTI Career Institute
Finally, the YTI Career Institute in York, Pennsylvania, offers a 20-month technology lawyer.
Graduates of this hybrid program will master the nutrition, anatomy and physiology of animals, breeding, breeding, behaviour, sanitation, care, behaviour, euthanasia and dissection of various animal species.
These skills will prepare them to work as veterinary technicians in veterinary practices, research institutions, universities, zoos, pharmaceutical companies or other areas where the skills of a veterinary technician are required.
Courses include introduction to veterinary technology; cell biology; animal nutrition; and more.
In 2018-2021, the level of successful completion of the course for the first time for graduates of YTI was 62.58 percent.
Students will be required to undergo a clinical internship at a veterinary hospital of their choice.
Conclusion
Lower prerequisites are not the only thing that allows you to get into veterinary school. It also depends on your competition and desire.
Imagine this scenario: the school has 100 open places and average requirements, and 1000 people apply for it. Another school has 100 open places and low requirements, and 2,000 people apply to it.
There are no hard and fast rules on this. Most schools publish their admission rates and the number of people who apply to them each year, so look at them. If you can and want to, you can also consider attending a school that is not in your state.
Best Veterinary Schools in Pennsylvania FAQs
Do You Need to Go to College to Be a Vet in Pennsylvania?
You do not need a bachelor’s degree, but it is best to have one. Although the degree is not specified as a requirement in most programs, the vast majority of applicants are admitted. In fact, the percentage of applicants admitted without a diploma is negligible. In addition, in any case, you will need to take certain courses, so get a degree.
What Is The Work Of A Veterinarian in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania and beyond, veterinary technicians typically work not only in veterinary clinics and hospitals, but also in zoos, nurseries, animal rescue centres, shelters, nonprofits, farms, laboratories, biomedical (or pharmaceutical) research facilities, and aquariums.
Are Veterinarian On Demand In Pennsylvania?
The work of a veterinarian is limited to the working population in Pennsylvania and is limited by the specific qualifications required along with the school education associated with that career. The growing demand for skilled veterinarians, combined with the educational barrier to entry, is met with a growing number of aspiring college graduates seeking to make a lasting impact on the lives of others in and around Pennsylvania.
How Much Do Veterinarians in Pennsylvania Make?
Veterinarians in Pennsylvania take home an average of $29.00 per hour. The annual salary of a veterinarian in Pennsylvania averages $60,780, which is 59% higher than the state’s average income and 50% higher than the national average for all occupations.
References
- vettechcolleges.com – VETERINARY TECHNICIAN SCHOOLS IN PENNSYLVANIA
