Advice for aspiring vet techs and how to find a mentor

Veterinary technician content is sponsored by Elanco for the month of October.

Working as a veterinary technician isn't an easy feat, but it can be incredibly rewarding, according to Karen Roach, RVT, VTS (ECC). In this dvm360® interview at the Fetch Coastal Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, she described why having a mentor in the industry can help support you on your path to becoming a veterinary technician. She also offered insight on where to find the proper mentor.

The following is a transcript of the video.

Karen Roach, RVT, VTS (ECC): I honestly can't imagine doing anything else. But you know, [aspiring veterinary technicians] do need to be aware it's not an easy profession to be in, but it can be so rewarding. And finding someone that would be a good mentor, whether it's another technician or a doctor, finding someone to work with, who's going to help guide you along, both with skills and knowledge and encourage you to grow and learn is really, really important. I've had several mentors [throughout] my career, and I wouldn't be where I am without them.

There's lots of online resources that people can find [for helping to look for a mentor]. I mean, there's just so many, even just like Facebook pages, veterinary ones, and people can always reach out on there and even if it's not someone you're going to be working with on a day-to-day basis. Having someone that you can reach out to, I think would be very helpful.