In a virtual conversation, The Bridge Club facilitated a lively discussion about what is an age old topic of using veterinary technicians fully, defining their roles, legal issues and working toward more national governance. Catherine Haskins and Shannon Norwalk, RVT, welcomed Sam Geiling, CVT, Becky Mosser, RVT, and Mark Cushing, JD, to share perspectives and opportunities in this personnel segment of the veterinary services community.
Cushing discussed the veterinary-centric model of clinics and asserted that past strategies to improve the appreciation of veterinary technicians hasn’t appreciably advanced the position of certified veterinary technicians. Geiling moved the conversation to survey results identifying a) title protection and recognition at the state level, b) nationwide standards to define a credentialed veterinary technician, and c) nationwide standards for scope of practice for certified vet technicians.
Source: The Bridge Club, September 18, 2024. Video Link. Recording Link. [59:45]
INSIGHTS: Two things stuck with us as future needs or opportunities:
- The potential value of moving veterinary technician governance away from state veterinary boards to a national veterinary technician board
- Cushing observes that our animal health industry is moving beyond its roots as an animal health industry and becoming more focused on serving animal owners as an animal healthcare This apparent nuance recognizes the roles non-veterinary persons, such as groomers, trainers, and so on, play in providing support to pet owners.