While there are many studies relating to veterinarians and the mental health crisis they are experiencing, the same cannot be said for the veterinary support staff, particularly credentialed veterinary technicians. Many of the same characteristics that draw students to veterinary medicine are also the same characteristics that contribute to burnout and compassion fatigue. Merck conducted a veterinary wellbeing study in 2021 and it demonstrated that the lack of wellbeing for support staff as well as personal distress, are higher than their veterinarian counterparts.1
Additionally, personnel shortages are a huge issue as about a third of the staff respondents indicate they plan to leave practice in the next two years.1 It is easy to conclude the same mental health and well-being issues veterinarians face, also plague veterinary technicians. By providing the same support veterinary students receive during their schooling, veterinary technician students can graduate well-rounded and better equipped to handle the stressors of their profession.
Current education options
Veterinary technology education is a rigorous process. The majority of programs that students enroll in award two-year associate degrees. There are currently 221 accredited veterinary technician programs. There are 27 that offer a bachelor's degree or bachelor's completion opportunity. Ten schools offer the program or portions of the program virtually. Currently the only states that do not have an American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited veterinary technology programs are Alaska and the District of Columbia. All programs, regardless of if they are in person or a distance education program, must abide by the same standards the AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) sets forth.
The amount of required material that is covered in two years is staggering and includes more than 200 psychomotor skills. So, what can be done to help veterinary technician students be prepared for not only the required knowledge and physical aspects of the profession but also the life skills that are required? How can veterinary technology schools help improve the burnout rate of their graduates? Latest studies show the average technician works in the field for an average of five to seven years before leaving the profession entirely. This vicious cycle also leads to high turnover and understaffing because there are not simply enough credentialed technicians to meet the demands.
