Veterinary hospitals around the country have been busier than ever during the COVID pandemic amplifying the shortage of veterinary technicians which has existed for several years. However, veterinary technicians are often not leveraged to their full potential. Veterinary technicians who are encouraged to continue to learn, grow professionally, and use critical thinking and technical skills report improved career satisfaction. They are more likely to stay with the practice than those who are only assigned low-level skills or are expected to follow instructions blindly.
This session will provide attendees with simple tools to identify opportunities for improving practice health and success through veterinary technicians. A competency-based framework to provide credentialed veterinary technicians with a well-defined career path will also be introduced, facilitating continued learning of clinical skills and professional development. The discussion will also include how Veterinary Technician Specialists (VTS) can be better leveraged in practice today and if a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant-type role in veterinary medicine might be part of the solution in the future.
.jpg "Ed Carlson, CVT, VTS (Nutrition) photo")