dvm360 live! celebrates veterinary technicians

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Alongside each veterinarian is a veterinary technician to help care for our pets. With their technical and scientific knowledge, they help with tasks such as taking medical histories, preparing instruments and pets for surgery, performing laboratory procedures, grooming and more. Again. In honor of National Veterinary Technician Week (October 16-22), a recent episode of dvm360 Live!™ featured Michael Lark, CVT, and Deena Torres, CVT, LVT, vet techs from Banfield Pet Hospital. They sat down with Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, host and chief veterinarian of dvm360®, to share information about their field, current industry reach, and how Banfield meets their needs and needs. career.

Lark and Torres emphasized that patients are at the forefront of why they return to the hospital every day. “I think I speak for anyone who owns a pet that pets are like a member of your family,” said Lark, who can’t remember a time in his life when he didn’t own a pet. of pet. As bonds are formed with patients and clients, they work with their team to provide high quality companion animal care.

This quality is essential because the demand for veterinarians and veterinary technicians is higher. To help meet the demand, technician appointments have increased within the industry in recent years. Doctors can focus on patients who are sick or have underlying issues, while technicians can focus on the wellness elements of a visit. “…I want to be used to the maximum of my ability,” Torres said. “Whatever the doctor wants me to do, I always want to meet expectations.”

Growth and Career Paths

Obtaining accreditation and maintaining their training allows veterinary technicians to continue to support veterinarians. If technicians are licensed in multiple states, they should know the different laws for each. Banfield helps its technicians by providing them with online resources and manuals for anything they need a refresher on. They also help cover the cost of their exams. Whether someone has a lot of experience or is just starting out, there is support to develop job-critical skills.

Technicians can advance their careers by taking on a supervisory role or earning specialized certifications. They then have a more hand-in-hand working relationship with the doctors. “[Banfield] encourages us to take on different roles, and whatever we feel comfortable doing… As vet techs we could specialize in surgery… We could also become field managers; we could be practice managers,” Torres said. These career milestones add to the scope of being a veterinary technician.

However, finding a job with work-life balance and a safe environment for advocacy can be difficult. Torres describes herself as a mother and a wife. Lark emphasizes the value of a positive and safe space as a person in the LGBT and Black community. The two techs believe they’ve found the animal hospital that’s right for them thanks to Banfield’s accommodating nature when it comes to schedules – like when something happens and you have to pick up the kids from school – and the focus on creating an inclusive workplace.

Tips for fellow technicians

Being an integral part of the veterinary team and providing constant compassion to those they work with can be stressful. Ultimately, remembering why they became vet techs keeps Lark and Torres motivated. “…We are here for the pets. And it’s always so rewarding to come to work every day and help these doctors care for these sick animals and take the workload off them to help these families,” Lark said.

Torres praised his fellow technicians in the field for all the effort and hours put into loving their patients. “What we do, no one else does… It’s hard sometimes, and it’s rewarding most of the time. And we all love it. With this attitude and resilience, pets around the world are in good hands with veterinary technicians.