Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Lancaster Animal Hospital | Massachusetts

Alicia has been in the veterinary field for 12 years. Along with being a CVT, she is on the board of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School and works with high school students at VCA Lancaster to help pave their way into the profession. Alicia is a role model for pitching in and going the extra mile so it's easy to see why she believes teamwork is one of the greatest skills a technician can exhibit.

What brings Alicia the most joy at work is seeing patients thrive, growth of her technicians, and working on Fear Free protocols with the VCA Lancaster team. She loves when patients come back into the hospital less anxious, proof their hard work is paying off. 

Alicia believes that training and a good attitude are essential to the success of a technician. She says, "Make sure you focus on the positives of this field, especially right now. We are going through one of the hardest times in this profession and there can be a lot of negativity. It can take just one person with positive energy to turn your day around."

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Cedar View Animal Hospital | Minnesota

Ann Marie has been in the veterinary field for 20 years. In her experience, the best technicians are able to efficiently do medical treatments while also helping the patient remain calm and feel safe. She also believes animal behaviorism is an essential part of veterinary medicine.

For Ann Marie, helping owners to have knowledge and understanding of what is going on in their pets' lives is a rewarding part of the job. She finds joy in helping pets feel peaceful and in good health for as long as they are able. Ann Marie also loves sharing her passion for veterinary medicine with others. When Scout troops come in to the hospital, she takes them on tours, shows them x-rays, and teaches them all about the field.

Looking back, Ann Marie would give her future self the following early career advice: "Life is short. You need to enjoy the good that comes, and allow yourself to grieve the sad cases, as well. Mental health is so important and it is okay to treat yourself with the love that you show every one of those patients that you care for."

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Carrollwood Cat Hospital | Florida

Dyanna has been in the veterinary field for more than 20 years, and is certified through the FVMA (Florida Veterinary Medical Association). While she finds many skills useful as a technician, she says most are ones they can't train for, but instead are learned on the job. "Compassion is the skill I hold in highest regard, which I've earned through countless tears with clients, last hugs goodbye, nervous tail wags, and even happy updates they weren't sure were going to come. Compassion for our peers, clients and patients is one of the most important skills a technician can have."

She also believes it's important to always be willing to learn new things. "I'm amazed at the things I learn from my assistants who are going through tech school. Just because you've 'been there, done that' doesn't mean you don't have anything new to learn."

What brings Dyanna the most joy in her professional life is soft kitten snuggles, brand new scrubs, and still hitting the vein on the first try.

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA SylvaniaVET Animal Hospital | Ohio

Jennifer has been in the veterinary field for 17 years and is a member of NAVTA (National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America). This helps her stay up to date with new techniques and products available for patients in a profession that is constantly evolving and changing. 

In her career as a technician, Jennifer has come to value flexibility as one of the most essential skills. "What works for one pet or in one situation may not work for another. You have to think on your feet and try new things."

Jennifer gets the most joy during her work day from amazing coworkers, good outcomes and Schnauzer puppies! And if she could go back and give her younger self early career advice, she would say: "The days can be long and the work can be hard, but forming bonds with clients and their pets—experiencing the joys and the sorrows with them—you make a difference, and it is so worth it! And yes, at some point in your career, you will find poop in your pocket."

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Vetco Animal Hospital | New Jersey

Kara has been in the veterinary field for 10 years. In this time, she has seen the profession grow and change, which is part of what makes this such a rewarding and exciting career. She believes it's important to remain open-minded, flexible and be able to embrace the "new". Kara sees adaptability as a key to success. "The ability to adapt from a calm situation to an emergency situation in a split second, all while communicating effectively with the team, providing life-saving care and continuing to be our empathetic selves, is a remarkable skill that every veterinary technician should be proud of."

At work, Kara enjoys supporting growth and development in her technician team, building relationships with patients and clients, and challenging herself continuously to be better than the day before.

Outside of her career with VCA, she works closely with veterinary technician social media platforms. Kara is also an active volunteer in sea turtle rehabilitation and educational outreach.

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Advanced Veterinary Care Center | Indiana

Leslie has been in the veterinary field for more than 30 years. In her career, she has always valued people who can "see the need" before being told what to do. She believes one of the biggest strengths a technician can have is being able to anticipate the doctor's needs, as it helps with the flow of cases and aides in communication with clients. Leslie finds it beneficial to be able to listen in to the doctor's discussions with clients. "When I would overhear things regarding diagnostics, I would already be moving to obtain those samples before the DVM got off the phone. I would even be proactive in several situations, often garnering permission for diagnostics/treatments while triaging a patient. Always be aware of your surroundings, and offer assistance whenever you can."

What brings Leslie the most joy at work is getting a "surprise bonus item" when inducing emesis, sharing techniques and tricks she has learned with others, and when she actually DOES get to play with puppies and kittens!

Leslie hopes to elevate the profession by continuing to tell positive stories of her years in the field. She hopes to help younger technicians realize that being a veterinary technician can be a lifelong career.

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Arboretum View Animal Hospital | Illinois

Meagan has been in the veterinary field for 15 years and enjoys being an advocate for the profession. She feels that if more technicians got involved outside of the workplace, it would help grow the profession, as well as gain more respect for their role.

To be a successful technician and team member, Meagan believes you need to have compassion and empathy for clients and coworkers alike. When times are stressful, being able to develop a rapport with everyone around you is an important skill. It's also beneficial to be able to accept constructive criticism in order to be a better asset to the team. She says, "Having mentors in the field is how you learn and teach others for the betterment of the patients that you care for. Be patient and your skills will develop. It's also ok to step out of your comfort zone to explore new opportunities."

What brings Meagan the most joy during her work day is seeing a critical patient go home with their family because everyone is so happy! She also loves celebrating accomplishments with her co-workers.

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Companion Care Animal Hospital | Wisconsin

Michelle has been in the veterinary field for 12 years. She is passionate about participating outside of her clinical job, as she feels it is important for her to help future students be prepared for their careers. She says, "In order for me to best prepare them and continue my growth within our field, I need to be involved in many ways. This includes certification programs I have completed, current programs I am completing, and just continuing daily education. I have taken interest in our local veterinary assistant program to help them learn what they can do to prepare their students. I started going on our local news stations to do short stories about animal health and prevention. I will continue to grow outside of my clinical setting because I feel this only helps me in my everyday job and helps me be the best I can be."

Michelle also prioritizes client education, since patients cannot speak for themselves. She enjoys being able to share information with a client about something they were previously unfamiliar with. What brings her the most joy is seeing young patients grow up and continuing to build the relationship as they grow older.

If she could give early career advice to her younger self, Michelle would say, "Continue to be embrace change, growth, and never stop being the compassionate person you are."

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Madison Animal Hospital | New Jersey

Noel has been in the veterinary field for 20 years. As a member of the NJVTA (New Jersey Veterinary Technicians and Assistants) and soon to be member of the AVTE (Association of Veterinary Technician Educators), she has a strong desire to teach and share the knowledge she has gained. She has been a volunteer foster for a local cat rescue since 2008, often in taking very sick, pediatric, or semi-feral kittens. While pursuing her bachelor's degree in veterinary technology, Noel also attends continuing education as much as possible. For her, CE is not just about medicine, it improves her leadership skills, as well. 

Noel is passionate about nursing care and wants to utilize her skills to help veterinarians and support staff function as a team by creating a bond with the pets that they see. She believes that compassion, integrity, and the desire to continue learning are the most important attributes a veterinary technician can have. She says, "Do not ever be afraid to continue learning. Medicine is forever evolving, so we must continue learning so we can provide the best care for our patients."

If she could give early career advice to her younger self, Noel would say, "Go to school and get credentialed ASAP!"

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Advanced Veterinary Care Center | Indiana

Sarah has been in the veterinary field for more than 7 years. The skill she values the most in a technician is compassion. She has fostered her own growth in this area by taking time with owners, explaining things to them and answering all their questions. She explains, "It is a very stressful time when a pet is in the hospital, and a little bit of compassion and effort go a long way."

What brings a smile to Sarah's face is seeing a patient she thought might not recover, actually recover! "When you take them to their owner to go home and their tail doesn’t stop, it's pure joy when you hear the owner's voice when they start talk to their pet." Connecting with coworkers also brings a lot of joy to her professional life.

If Sarah were to give herself some early career advice, it would be: "Learn to leave as much at the door as you can. You can’t fix everything and you can’t make everyone happy. Take pride in what you do, and know that even something small can make all the difference to a patient, owner, or even a coworker."

Credentialed Veterinary Technician
VCA Veterinary Specialists of CT | Connecticut

Valerie has been in the veterinary field for 4 years, with some of her happiest shifts revolving around camaraderie and teamwork. She loves to see a new team member's confidence grow and watch how great nursing care can make the difference in a patient's quality of life. In fact, she thinks caring nursing skills are the strongest attribute a technician can have. She says, "Technical skills allow a tech to provide the highest level of medical care, but it's nursing skills that keep their patients comfortable and allows for quick recognition of any changes to their health–both good and bad. Simply recognizing a dirty blanket, an empty bowl, anxious behavior, feeding preferences, or signs of pain or fear, can all make the difference in a patient's long term care and health." As an ICU technician, Valerie has found that recognizing the needs of her patients beyond the treatments they are receiving, has made a huge difference in the progress they make while hospitalized.

Client education is also important to Valerie, especially as the pandemic has provided opportunities to share information with clients about both patient care and the hardships veterinary professionals are currently facing. "Bringing public awareness to our ER wait times, understaffed hospitals, burn out rates and our continued drive for the best possible medical care despite all this, is what will change the public perception of our profession. While it isn't on a huge scale, and is only one client at a time, I truly feel each small step in public education of the veterinary profession can have rippling effects long-term."

If she could go back and give herself early career advice, Valerie says, "I would tell myself to never turn down an opportunity to grow, as they are endless for new technicians that are eager to learn. Having the courage to try a new skill with the proper guidance can lead to huge growth, both technically and in your confidence. I wouldn't be the technician I am today if I allowed the fear of failure to determine whether I accepted a new opportunity or not."