A note for anyone who is a veterinary technician or knows one
This week is National Veterinary Technician Week, and I want to use this space to honor those who work so hard to make care in our practices happen. I know I could tell you all about how wonderful technicians are, how bright I think the future of their vocation will be, or how essential their support is to delivering veterinary care, but I want to do something a bit different. I want to talk about what veterinary technicians really mean to those who come through our doors. In order to do that, I need to start with a story of someone who was struggling.
I recently heard about a man whose life was falling apart. His marriage was failing, his career had stalled, and the only thing he had going for him was that he had managed to get sober and stay that way. One night, as he went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, he stopped outside and prayed. He didn’t ask to have his life magically restored or for his trek to be made easy. Instead, he asked for something that would give him a sense of purpose: “God, please just let me help somebody.”
It’s not my intention to turn this article into something religious, but his choice about what he asked for is important. I think our society fixates on a lot of superficial rewards like money, fame, status, and power, but it overlooks others that are truly meaningful. The ability to serve, to lift others, and to validate ourselves through the aid we provide can bring fulfillment and meaning that are often forgotten. The roles of the helper, fixer, and nurse do not just heal the ones who are broken. They heal those who provide the care as well. As the praying man knew, the act of making others whole often strengthens the caregivers as well.
In veterinary medicine, the technicians are our hands. While the doctors make the plans or wield the scalpel, it is the technicians who generally administer the care. When our patients open their eyes after anesthesia and begin to react in confusion and fear, it is our technicians who soothe them. The hands of technicians wash wounds, apply bandages, and administer medications. They are the ones who perform the tangible act of healing and helping those in need. As such, they are the ones who bring the benefits of doing meaningful work into our clinics and our lives.
None of us who work in the veterinary clinics came here because we thought it would be the most glamorous or lucrative place to work. We came here because we wanted the rewards that come from helping others, from healing, and relieving fear and pain. Our veterinary technicians are the ones who deliver that care. They make the work done within our walls rewarding for everyone on the veterinary team.
So, when we think about National Veterinary Technician week, I hope we can not only appreciate the technical skills that our technicians bring. I hope we can appreciate the power of the care they deliver. I want us to recognize that the aid they provide does more than just mend the patients we see. It binds our teams together and makes our jobs worth doing. For this gift, we owe them our gratitude.
