Veterinary hospitals around the country have been busier than ever over the past year during the COVID pandemic. This has amplified the shortage of veterinary technicians, which has existed for several years. A major contributing factor to this shortage is poor retention, with many veterinary technicians leaving the profession after five to seven years. Contributing factors for leaving the profession likely correlate with the top six most significant problems that face credentialed veterinary technicians who responded to the NAVTA 2016 Demographic Survey: low income, burnout, lack of recognition and career advancement, the under-utilization of skills, and the competition with on-the-job trained individuals.

The root cause

I believe a major contributing factor for technician dissatisfaction is related to the inconsistency in credentialing requirements, which may be a root cause of the shortage the profession is experiencing today.

Veterinary medicine began as all other medical professions, as self-taught or taught by an experienced practitioner. Over time, as educational programs were created, a college education, passing a state and/or national examination, and maintenance of a license became a requirement for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), phasing out alternative pathways. In some states, the same holds true for veterinary technicians. However, there are still several states where there is no credentialing requirement for veterinary technicians and several where a noncredentialed individual may perform most or all of the same tasks, skills, and medical procedures as a credentialed veterinary technician.

As veterinary medicine evolved, veterinarians began hiring assistants to restrain animals, carry supplies, feed, water, clean, etc. They became accustomed to hiring people with some animal knowledge or experience and trained them on the job to perform these routine tasks. Over time, veterinarians began teaching their assistants to perform low-level medical skills. This led to the "animal care technician" being established. It was not until 1989 that the term "veterinary technician" became officially recognized by the AVMA.

The current state of credentialing and title protection

Answers to why the current state of credentialing and title protection exists may lie in reviewing current professional credentialing, a widely accepted job description, and title protection nationwide. Lack of a standardized credential, defined scope of practice, and title protection across the country are major contributing factors to the lack of professional recognition, respect, low wages, and under-utilization of veterinary technicians/veterinary nurses.