Pain management career practice pearls

Are you a veterinary professional looking to advance your career in pain management? According to Fetch May Virtual speaker Tasha McNerney, CVT, CVPP, VTS (Anesthesia), an easy first step is becoming joining the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM).

“One of the nice benefits of being a member is that you get access to the chats, to all the different resources that they offer. You can have a certified veterinary pain practitioner basically be your mentor on the journey,” McNerney told dvm360.

“Also if you’re thinking about becoming a CVPP, they do require that you be a member of the IVAPM for at least a year,” she added.

For those interested in end-of-life pain management, McNerney recommends becoming a certified veterinary pain practitioner (CVPP) or getting certified in hospice care. If you're drawn to the surgery aspect of pain management, she says specializing in anesthesia or analgesia may be the "way to go." If you're like McNerney and are interested in multiple areas of pain management, the opportunities are endless, she says.

"I really wanted to know all the aspects of pain management from surgical to post-operative to chronic pain management, and that's why I went the route I went," she said. "But there are so many other opportunities like massage therapy or becoming a rehabilitation technician. "

Watch the video below for more of McNerney’s thoughts on careers in pain management.