Editor’s note. It is common to get a call from Wendy Hauser, DVM, to discuss a recent experience or something that has been on her mind. Using vet clinic staff to the fullest is often a part of those discussions.
Improving the use of veterinary technicians requires helping them work at the top of their credentials, BUT without hospital leaders advocating for, cultivating awareness of and prioritizing acknowledgment for their critical contributions as key team members, all that will remain is overworked, underpaid and underappreciated technicians. As practice volume continues to settle from the post-pandemic’s manic pace there is time to consider Hauser’s recommendations for a tiered veterinary technician advancement system that creates a pathway for learning, success and salary increases.
Tiered systems have been successfully used in many industries denoting credentialed education achievement, role advancement and even tenure. The most common example is from our military branches which use E-1 to E-9 for enlisted soldiers’ pay grades <Link>.
Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, December2023/January2024. Link. PDF Link. The lack of title protection within practices hinders full technician utilization.
“Veterinary technician” should be limited to graduates of an American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited program who also pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination.”
INSIGHTS: Similar to how our industry has moved toward individualized animal health care, making opportunities for veterinary technicians will require avoiding a one-standard-fits-all approach. Practices have to allow vet techs to advance along a path that interests them and supports practice growth as well. Then, as Hauser recommends, be sure to celebrate their achievements and specialized skills in social media posts and local news sources. Celebrating the people of the practice helps promote the practice too!