Every October, clinics hang banners, bring in donuts, and post #VetTechStars photos. These gestures matter — they're real, human, and often heartfelt. But for many veterinary technicians the week is also a question: will anything actually change this time?
A moment of gratitude — and a mirror
National Veterinary Technician Week was created to spotlight the work of credentialed veterinary technicians: the clinical hands, the comforters, the lab and imaging experts, the steady presence in a frantic clinic day. Yet that visibility has a second effect — when we celebrate, what we often see is not only who we value, but how the system still fails those people.
Why applause isn't the same as empowerment
Appreciation and recognition are necessary. But appreciation without structural change becomes performative. Techs tell us they want to be heard, trusted, and paid commensurate with their responsibilities. They want clear paths for growth instead of the same tasks under new packaging. They want autonomy where appropriate and support when the emotional load is heavy.
The deeper problem: underutilization and undervaluation
If I had to name one root issue exposed by Vet Tech Week every year, it would be this: we depend on technicians to run the clinic, but we too often prevent them from practicing to the full extent of their training. Misaligned role boundaries, unclear delegation, inconsistent scope-of-practice rules, and weak career ladders mean the same skilled professionals are treated like interchangeable labor. That mismatch fuels turnover, inefficiency, and burnout — for techs and for veterinarians.
The human cost
Working as a veterinary technician is emotionally intense. Techs deliver clinical care, hold anxious clients' hands, perform euthanasia support, manage post-op nursing, and keep labs and imaging moving — all while the clinic hums around them. Without clear support, that emotional labor compounds. People leave because they love patients but can't sustain the workload, or because career progression and fair compensation don't match the responsibility they carry.
What would make Vet Tech Week mean something?
Celebration can be a lever for change — if we attach action to it. Below is a practical framework clinics can use to convert a week of recognition into the start of year-round improvement.
C.A.R.E. — a practical checklist
• Compensate Fairly — Benchmark pay against regional and role-based standards. Where immediate raises aren't possible, create clear, time-bound plans tied to milestones (certifications, skill tiers, leadership responsibilities).
• Amplify Roles — Run a utilization audit: catalog what technicians do now, what they're licensed to do, and what they could do with brief training. Reassign non-clinical tasks that pull techs away from clinical care.
• Recognize Year-Round — Move beyond a single week. Build micro-recognition into daily workflows: peer shoutouts, small protected breaks, and documented wins in staff meetings.
• Elevate Pathways — Invest in continuing education, specialty training, and a transparent ladder for advancement. Paid CE, mentorship, and defined promotion criteria signal that a tech's future is inside your clinic, not outside it.
Small pilots, measurable wins
Start small and be measurable. Pilot a 90-day utilization redesign: document baseline tasks, shift three tasks away from credentialed techs, train staff for the new flow, then measure changes in overtime, client wait times, and job satisfaction. A single successful pilot is more convincing than a dozen well-intentioned but vague promises.
A profession-level imperative
This is not about replacing veterinarians or diminishing the role of leadership. It's about building teams that function at full capacity. When technicians are empowered, veterinarians can practice at the top of their license, clinics run more efficiently, and the emotional cost of care is distributed more sustainably.
What I'm asking clinicians to do this Vet Tech Week
Pick one concrete change to launch this week: run a 10-minute anonymous tech satisfaction poll, schedule a 30-minute one-on-one with each technician, or commit funds to one CE course. Make the change visible and report back to the team. That transparency builds trust faster than any framed certificate.
National Vet Tech Week should be more than a caption or a cupcake. It should be the moment we refuse to accept gratitude without growth. If our profession is to remain sustainable — and humane — we need to convert appreciation into empowerment.
"Our techs aren't asking for more applause. They're asking for a profession that listens, learns, and finally lives up to its gratitude."