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Vet Tech Life

TISI: Veterinary Technicians Are At War and No One Is Talking About It

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Within veterinary medicine, there is a battle being waged in the trenches. Veterinary Technicians are in a fight for their careers – for respect and for fair wages. Credentialed technicians are battling for recognition and higher median salaries, all while managing patient loads, clients, DVMs and their outside lives.

Lack of title protection over existing credentialed terminology has led to unscrupulous people using titles they didn’t earn or that have been revoked due to unethical behavior. National and state organizations that are supposed to be supporting and promoting credentialed technicians are losing members or not engaging their membership. Corporate hospitals are hiring non-credentialed employees at lower wages. Technicians are being forced to work two, and sometimes three different jobs just to survive. Compassion fatigue and burnout are rampant and technicians are leaving the field more quickly than ever before. Suicide rates on veterinary medicine continue to rise. People are miserable.

What’s the solution? I wish I had a magic answer for that but the truth is, I don’t know. I do have some suggestions as to where to start. We need fresh voices. The way we’ve always done things clearly isn’t working anymore. The people who have always been in leadership positions need to take a moment and look around, and consider allowing new leaders to emerge. Times have changed. Hospitals have changed. People’s priorities have shifted. Discussions need to happen and those fresh voices need to be heard.

We can acknowledge that times have changed and move forward accordingly, or we can stay where we are, destroying our profession from within.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

Valuable Lessons I Learned From My Terrible Working Interview

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There was a point not very long ago when I thought I was ready to move on from veterinary medicine – at least the part about working in a clinic. I was moving out of state, so it seemed like the right time to look for new opportunities.

As it turned out, moving across the country was change enough for me, and as I was hunting for jobs I found myself seeking comfort in my professional knowledge. I started to apply for veterinary technician positions, and with that, came interviews. I remember walking into my first working interview after months of being out of a clinic and thinking, “what if I actually can’t do this?”

During my first working interview, a dog with marijuana toxicity came into the clinic. The doctor did an examination and induced vomiting. She talked me through what she was doing, and even though I knew well enough how a toxicity case is handled, I fumbled around clumsily grabbing towels and nodding my head. When the vomiting subsided, I was asked to place a catheter. Something I had done hundreds of times with ease. I reached around in drawers for tape, catheters, scrub, a t-port… and found none of what I knew. They used a different brand of catheters and there was no Elastikon to be seen.

At that moment I remembered hearing something about hiring new technicians and new graduate veterinarians. For many, their skills are limited to where they are comfortable working. Many may have only worked in one place their entire career or hadn’t taken their first job yet. This ran through my mind over and over again as I painfully realized I had worked in only one hospital for the last five years. I started as an assistant and made my way to becoming a certified veterinary technician. I learned how to place catheters, how to draw blood, how to monitor anesthesia and how to triage emergencies in one place. I knew that I only learned one way to do all of those things.

“Don’t panic,” I said to myself.

I then remembered a good piece of advice from a veterinarian at a conference. They said the first way to make friends at a new hospital is to follow the way their technicians place catheters. So, I took hold of the opportunity and I asked the lead technician. He told me how they would prepare the tape, how the needle snapped back into the cap of the catheter to reduce the risk of poking yourself, and where to find a t-port.

It was an ugly affair.

The catheter glided smoothly into the vein, but after that, nothing went according to plan. I fumbled with this new tape that stuck better to itself than to my patient. Again and again, it would stick uselessly and I would try again. After about 10 minutes, patience was wearing thin in all three of us and I resorted to cutting 4-inch Elastikon into 1 inch and taped the only way I knew how.

The working interview was over at that moment.

What good possibly came of that mortifying experience? At the time, a large milkshake from In-N-Out was about all. I felt terrible that this hospital brought me in for an interview, and I blew it. What did that say about me as a technician? It took some time, but I can see the good and the bad, not only the ugly when I look back on it.

I may have not succeeded at taping a catheter the way that hospital did, but I asked before I tried. I didn’t huff and puff and say I didn’t have what I needed. I showed something more personal in that interview, which was the willingness to learn new things and the respect to try their way. I also learned how valuable it is to diversify your techniques. When I finally did end up in a great hospital here in California, the first task I set myself to was to learn a new way to place a catheter. I now have a wider list of tools and skills at my disposal that I comfortably know how to use.

There’s a certain kind of pressure that comes with having experience. When I was applying for jobs as someone with no experience, begging for someone to take a chance, there were no expectations. Interviewing as someone who knows their stuff – that’s a whole different ball game. My takeaway was not to let my mistakes in an interview make me feel incapable. I’d been in the same hospital for five years! The important thing is learning to adapt with some time and support, and trusting yourself to try new ways of doing things.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

TISI: I’m Tired of Bullying in Veterinary Medicine

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Mental health. Self-Care. Anxiety. Depression. Suicide.

These are all words that have come to the forefront of veterinary medicine in recent years. It is finally a topic that is being addressed in seminars, conferences and articles. It is a real problem.

I have heard many theories about why it is such a problem in our field. Intense/Type A personalities, chronic stress, high debt to income ratios, long hours, the desire to help everyone, mistreatment from clients, the loss of patients, coping with disease day after day… the list goes on. Many of us had some level of depression or anxiety before we went into vet med, so perhaps it is an even deeper issue of the types of people drawn to this field?

This last week, another factor has been on my mind. One that seems to be discussed less than the rest, but one that I suspect may be one of the biggest contributing factors. Maybe it is even an elephant in the room, and I’m not supposed to bring it up?

What is this factor? It isn’t what the world brings through the doors of our clinics. It is what WE bring through the doors of our clinics. It is work place bullying and emotional abuse, and I think it is a bigger problem than we want to admit.

This can occur in a number of forms, from a head tech bullying other support staff, to managers, owners and veterinarians bullying the other veterinarians or clinic staff. I am not talking about the occasional harsh remark or bad mood, I am referring to targeted-ongoing abuse.

This week, a technician I know and deeply respect was targeted, blamed and humiliated for a mistake that was absolutely the responsibility of the veterinarian she was working for. She was shamed and reprimanded by one veterinarian while the responsible veterinarian stood by and said nothing. Later, she was told that she would not be allowed to explain her side of the story and was demoted.

This cycle can become frighteningly similar to domestic abuse. The abuser gains a position of power and uses it to crush someone who doesn’t feel they can stand up to them. And the behavior continues. The victim is torn down enough that they feel they have little or no worth, and have nowhere to go, because who would want them? Some victims are in a healthier place and deal with or leave the situation quickly. Some stay until they can’t take it anymore and have to get out. But then, how to get out? How do you muster the strength to take a chance on finding a new position and moving on when you’ve been convinced you aren’t of value? What if you are dependent on the abuser for a good job reference? Some choose the ultimately tragic way to get out, having been effectively taught that their lives have no value.

In these situations, abuse from clients or the loss of a patient may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, but perhaps we would all have more reserves to handle these situations if we built each other up instead of tearing each other down.

I hope that many who read this will not have experienced these issues, but I suspect the vast majority of people in this profession will know exactly what I’m talking about.

Perhaps the bullies in our clinics learned this habit from being bullied themselves? Perhaps it is an expression of “imposter syndrome,” the fear that we aren’t really perfect and someone will find us out? 

Fellow veterinarians: We work in a small world. The words we say about each other not only erode the public’s trust in our entire profession, but they can quickly get back to the veterinarian being talked about. Let’s stop tearing each other down. And let’s stop allowing bullying in our clinics.

We need to be aware of what is happening within our own walls. We need to pay attention to our managers and people in lead positions. When staff complains about being picked on or bullied, it should raise a red flag. 

Clinic owners, please learn to be leaders, not just bosses. Don’t let your managers (or clients) tear down your associates and support staff. Don’t feel the need to prove how much more skill and knowledge your experience has given you than your younger associates have. Don’t tear them down to build yourselves up. Support and teach them. Build them into great veterinarians. 

Veterinarians, remember that our techs are the backbone of the clinic. They catch so many of our mistakes for us that we can’t afford to blame them for the one they might miss if it was ultimately our mistake. We need to be leaders, admit our own humanity and admit our own mistakes. We need to eradicate the cycles of abuse from our clinics. Maybe if we are intentional about what WE bring into our clinics, maybe we’ll have the emotional reserves to handle everything else that comes through the door?

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

Land of Opportunity: What I’ve Learned as a Vet Tech from Working with Americans

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Ten years ago I traveled to New York from Japan, by myself, to become a vet tech. I chose America because I believed anything was possible. At least that’s what Nike said. I met a vet tech online who taught me about becoming a tech. I decided to follow her path. She was the only person I knew at the time and my English was poor. Yes, I was scared, but I started my new life at 22 years old.


With all the difficulties that you can think of as an immigrant, especially the language barrier and cultural differences, I have survived and worked as a tech for seven years. People are always curious what is like to work in America. Was it worth it? What have I learned? Well, I’m going to tell you.

Say “NO”

This was a huge obstacle for me because of my Japanese background. People almost never say “no” in Japan. At my first job in New York, I worked with a tough Italian tech who taught me how to say “no.” Without any hesitation, she said “no” to unreasonable requests from doctors and managers. She always stood up for herself and made her needs clear. She knew what she wanted and how she wanted to be treated. She was my culture shock!
 One day a veterinarian snapped his fingers right in my face. I was not moving as quickly as he wanted me to. I didn’t react. After the incident my tech friend had observed, she told me that I needed to learn to stand up for myself. She and I are very different, but we still are very good friends. She helped me see that it’s OK to take a vacation, leave work when I can’t stay or call out sick when I am sick. I was not allowed to do any of that in Japan.  



Language is not as important as work ethic.


When I came to the United States I didn’t speak much English. My English became better when I got my first job. There were still a lot of times when I didn’t understand what people were saying. Of course, in this busy industry, some people got frustrated – especially during an emergency. Some people did make fun of my accent and, inconveniently, I still have to write down everything when people give me orders. But I always had to work harder to cover my language barrier and improve my techniques. I learned everything they taught me, remembered to be humble and became an easy person to work with. That was always valuable to any hospital I have worked for. That’s how I knew, at the end of the day, people will trust me and treat me with respect. 



There are tons of opportunities to grow.


Whenever my interests grew, there were always opportunities. Right after college, I was taught to be a dental technician. There are tons of resources to learn from and mentors to connect with. I reached out to multiple mentors and they were always happy to give me advice and insight. Last year I started a business to help the Japanese veterinary industry by delivering information on management and leadership. I learned these traits from the American veterinary industry. I have interviewed many influential people in this field including Dr. Andy Roark. I was blown away by the kindness and support I have received. People have always helped me when they see me work hard for something. Support is always available.  



Going back to my first question – was coming here alone worth it? Absolutely. Will I call my story an American dream story? Why not? I made my dreams come true and still love being a veterinary technician. I know I can grow and do more for this industry because this country does really allow people to succeed.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

Yukari Ogawa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born and raised in Japan Yukari Ogawa moved to New York 10 years ago, by herself to pursue her dream as a veterinary technician. After obtaining her green card, she started her own company to help Japanese veterinary owners run their clinics more efficiently. While raising her 18 month old baby, she thrives to work as a tech in New York, help the Japanese veterinary industry and become the best version of herself.

Why Veterinarians Should Aspire to Be Like Technicians

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I love my technicians. They are the most amazing people and have skills that combine every single specialization in the human nursing field. They don’t get paid enough, in my opinion, and deserve more respect than most clients give them. They are the people we should aspire to be like.

When I was fifteen I started working at my local veterinary clinic as kennel staff. I was always so excited when the technicians asked me to help them hold an animal or even trim nails. They were so eager to show me some of the tasks they do on a daily basis. In their spare time, they showed me how the in-house laboratory machine worked and how to read fecal samples. As I continued to work my way up to technician assistant, they continued to show me how many different things they knew how to do and forever instilled my respect for their job.

I don’t know how many of you worked at veterinary clinics before accepting your position in veterinary school. I could typically tell during 4th year which students had that experience versus not. They respected the technicians. The ones who stepped over vomit and instructed the technicians to clean it up, clearly they never learned that respect. But let’s get back to the point- the skill set I’m discussing isn’t how to clean up vomit… well maybe it is.

I’ve learned a few things from my fellow technicians that help me with my daily routine that I think we could all benefit from. I think they have helped me become a self-sufficient veterinarian who has the badass skills of a technician.

1. Learn to Multitask

We all are pretty good at multi-tasking. Some much more than others. Technicians have multiple jobs through a clinic and do them all extremely well. I’ve seen a technician run blood work, read a fecal, CBC slide, and ear cytology all within a matter of 5 minutes. Plus that technician still had patients to worry about. Sometimes we get wrapped up in whatever cases we are in and forget that other things are happening around us.

2. Your DVM doesn’t mean you can’t clean up feces or urine.

Be helpful. When there are no other technicians around, lend a hand to keep the balance of the day going. That might mean cleaning up the large pile of feces left by an aggressive dog but if you lend a hand once in a while your technicians will appreciate it and it is a humbling experience.

3. Compassion!

We all have loads of compassion but there is a huge difference between how technicians tend to their in-house patients and how we interact with them. We tend to keep track of the medical issues of a case versus emotional support to the patient. I’ve seen technicians hang out with their patients in the kennels, spend their lunches snuggling with the feline cases, and overall just giving them a little extra emotional encouragement. A well-loved patient tends to recover a little quicker than one that only gets touched during morning rounds.

4. Be flexible.

For those veterinarians working ER shifts, you know what I’m talking about. Sometimes a day isn’t going to go as you planned it. Some veterinarians get so stressed out by work-ins and unplanned surgeries. What do the technicians do? They push on through. They are supportive and will stay extra hours to help out, even if they aren’t scheduled to do that. Now I don’t think we should be so flexible to work ourselves to death, but there are steps to calmly approach bumps in the road without pulling your hair out.

5. Strengthen your skills.

We can remove spleens and fix broken bones, but sometimes those basic skills get forgotten. Most clinics have technicians that do blood draws, obtain urine, read stool samples, place IV catheters and that means you may not be doing those at all anymore. It never hurts to relearn and strengthen those skills. They can come in handy if you work on-call alone and need to place a catheter in a seizing dog or a dehydrated puppy. Every now and again ask a technician if you can draw your own blood or read that CBC slide. It will greatly improve the way you practice medicine.

There are many more skills that technicians can teach us. Remember, they are the backbone of the clinic and many of us would not be where we are today without the support of a technician.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

The Veterinary Technician I Never Got to Thank

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As we begin the celebration for Vet Tech Week, I was reminded of the technician who made me the technician I am today. When I started in this field as a kennel attendant, progressed to a veterinary assistant, and then became a baby technician there was a technician who inspired me. I was very green and to be honest, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I had to be instructed on the simplest tasks and when it came to anything technical, I knew absolutely nothing. I was young and totally clueless.

But as clueless as I was there was a technician who took a chance on me and mentored me. This technician was Nancy DeRoy, from Gig Harbor, WA. When we worked together she expected the best from me. If I didn’t know how to do something she told me, and she framed it in a way I would remember. As a new assistant, one of my biggest weaknesses was keeping my face too close to patients. At that point, I didn’t realize how every patient didn’t necessarily appreciate me lowering my face to theirs to say “hello”. Yeah, it was a rookie mistake and I was a rookie.

Nancy and I would often talk to each other after work while her dog ran around outside. In typical noob fashion, I bent my head down to her dog to baby talk him. He instantly snapped at my face. Nancy looked at me and told me that she had told me dozens of times, but this time I could have been hurt. I needed to take this seriously. And I did. Every day after.

Nancy was a technician who had been practicing for decades. This had given her a wealth of knowledge, that sometimes I took for granted. She continued to share that knowledge with me anyways. She was good at her job, tough as nails and would always tell you what she thought. She could give constructive criticism but never forgot to be kind. We would have long discussions about our lives after work and I remember being inspired by how much she had achieved. You always knew what she thought of you and she always told you what she thought.

As, I progressed from an assistant to a veterinary technician, she would share more of her tricks and tips to make my job easier. Not only did she do that, she was like a mother. I could ask her questions and come to her for advice. I ended up leaving the clinic we worked at, but we still kept in touch. She was a guest at my surprise baby shower when I was expecting. When my son was born she sent cards and gifts to the hospital. As my son grew, she would buy him clothes and always loved to see pictures of him. She was a mentor, mother figure and friend.

Sadly, as lives got busy we lost touch. In 2013 Nancy succumbed to cancer. I knew she wasn’t doing well, had arranged to go visit her the next day. When I woke up that morning, I got the news she had passed away. I never got to tell her what an impact she had on me. That she shaped me into the tech I am today and whenever I struggle, I ask myself what she would do.

We all have technicians who have guided us to be the person we are today. Thank them. Tell them you appreciate them. And above all, be a technician who inspires others. We never truly realize the impact we have on a person’s life. How the small things we do mean so much to observing eyes. We can all be a Nancy. We just have to care. This vet tech week remember those who’ve meant something to you. Celebrate the fact that you have meant something to many someone’s. Your coworkers, clients and patients. You matter. I didn’t get to tell Nancy how much she was appreciated. But thank you all for everything you do every day. It matters.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.