Mentorship

A mentor has the momentous honor of molding and guiding technicians into accomplished professionals. The driving force behind the success of technicians may be directly associated with guidance of a mentor. Mentors can provide advice from years of experience to assist technicians throughout many stages of a career. Students of veterinary technology would benefit greatly from the advice of a mentor when determining an appropriate place of employment. The presence of a structured, positive support system is critical for the early years of every technician. Mentors can once again provide advice and proficiencies as toward the development and achievement of career goals. Networking through mentorship can and often does facilitate the accomplishment of goals.

1. Mentoring is a volunteer proposition that must be a free exchange of information, advice, philosophies, experiences, proficeincies and encouragement.

2. Mentoring is about the mentee. A mentor should listen carefully to the goals of the mentee, provide guidance, and encourage the mentee to explore their philosophies and methods. The mentor shall allow the mentee to drive the relationship and not force feed personal experiences and opinions.

3. Mentors shall challenge mentees to spend time in thought by providing tactful questions. A mentor that asks a deliberately crafted question will promote critical thinking and problem solving. A mentor shall encourage the mentee to leave his or her comfort zone and take on new challenges.

4. A mentor must manage emotions. The veterinary profession is one that carries with it many emotional challenges. A mentor may provide an outlet for the mentee to voice the frustrations of the day. However, the mentor must refocus the mentee on action items that can serve to manage the challenges.

5. Respect the process. The mentor-mentee has a natural course. There comes a point in time where the mentor must allow the mentee to carve his or her own path.

Goal Setting Tips:
1. Encourage mentees to clarify goals and set priorities. Ensure that the mentee is not making a list of tasks instead of goals. Establish short-term and long-term goals.

2. The mentor should evaluate the realistic nature of the mentee’s goals. Evaluate goals to ensure that they are financial, academic, demographic, or logistically realistic.

3. A mentor can assist the mentee with establishing and evaluating progress towards goals.

4. A mentor shall evaluate the realistic timelines of the mentees goals to avoid overwhelming him or her at any point in time. The mentee can breakdown goals to smaller daily, weekly, or monthly tasks.

5. Recognize either if a mentees goals have changed through an unexpected opportunity or if a mentee changes his or her mind.

Job Placement

State and regional technicians can provide advice on job opportunities and ideal fitting situation for new graduates. The mentor pool shall come from veterinary technician schools, as they are most intimately involved in the community.

A mentor shall provide advice for how to prepare for an interview with questions to ask an employer to find out if they are a good match.

State and regional technicians that can provide advice and recommended ideal opportunities tailored to the needs of a technician that is relocating to another state or region.

State and regional technicians that can provide advice and recommended ideal opportunities to technicians that are looking for a change.

Exotics/Zoo

A representative from exotic practice may provide opportunities for student shadowing or a resource for LVTs.

A zoological LVT can provide advice regarding how to prepare for a career in zoological medicine through volunteering or externship opportunities

Emergency and critical care technicians can provide guidance on obtaining jobs in ECC clinics and as a resource for those interested in this field of veterinary medicine

Laboratory animal medicine representative can offer advice how to begin a career in laboratory medicine.

Reference/diagnostic laboratory representative can serve as a resource of information regarding how to pursue a career in reference laboratories.

Hospital managers can serve as resource for other managers or head technicians, and advice regarding continuing education opportunities to improve skills.

Technicians that have started small business within the scope of each state’s Practice Act can provide advice and experiences.

Technicians that provide education either through a business or through local/regional meeting or those technicians that are in academia can provide advice and assistance to those that are interested in becoming an educator.

Technicians that have published articles, textbooks or have edited such items can provide assistance to any of those that wish to submit a publication.

Technicians that have experience in speaking can help those that wish to begin speaking at the formal conference level.

Relief network technicians that are willing to fill in as needed in each state and region.

Other state association executive board members/officers or previous executive board members/officers from various states can provide advice regarding how to get involved.

NAVTA (National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America) provides opportunities for representatives to facilitate communication between states and this national organization. KVTA past presidents serve as our NAVTA representative.

A Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS) is for those that desire advanced knowledge and expertise in a specialized field. One or more representatives from each of the Academies can provide advice beyond the websites to assess and assist technicians interested in beginning the VTS process. For more information visit NAVTA.net.

Emergency & Critical Care

Dentistry

Internal Medicine (sub-specialties of cardiology, equine internal medicine, neurology, oncology, production animal internal medicine, and small animal internal medicine)

Anesthesia & Analgesia

Laboratory Animal'

Behavior

Clinical Pathology

Clinical Practice

Dermatology

Equine Veterinary Nursing

Physical Rehabilitation

Nutrition

Ophthalmology

Surgery

Zoological

Diagnostic Imaging

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GOLDEN RULES FOR MENTORS

The mentor network consists of experienced and accomplished technicians across many disciplines.

Mentors may be a credentialed technician within or outside of Kentucky.

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mentorship