Welcome to CanadianRVT

I started thinking about producing this website over five years ago.

It was just a flicker of a baby idea…a nagging thought in the back of my head.

Through my years working in veterinary medicine as an assistant, and then as a veterinary technician and then as a Registered Veterinary Technician, I had struggled to find reliable resources and clear, down-to-earth information.

I found navigating our profession difficult, and as most provincial associations operated on a volunteer basis, it was tough to get connected to anyone.

I felt like something was missing, that information should be easier to access. That there should be a central point of information. How different could the profession across Canada be? The basics of what we do day-to-day are the same!

Fast forward two years, and that nagging had started to materialize into a tangible idea. Random thoughts that I could jot down on sticky notes and post on my wall (my actual wall behind my desk…not Facebook).

Random ideas and thoughts would pop into my head during the day…and in the middle of the night (which was not conducive to a good night’s rest), so I started keeping a running list of these thoughts on my phone.

The hard part was that most of the bright ideas I came up with were good ideas in isolation but did not connect any dots or have a logical sequence.

Over the next year, the “tangible idea” that resulted from all of this was a desire and dream of creating a complete resource to support RVT’s throughout Canada. A digital platform that provided RVTs with the personal and professional help they needed to propel their careers, and this incredible industry, forward.

But that question led to more questions. One that kept me awake at night; “what resources do RVTs need? What are they struggling with? How can I help? How should I build this to ensure it is useful for others?”.

Well, if you want answers to a question, you must pose that question to the people you are looking to serve, so I did just that.

I reached out to every RVT I knew, those who were still practicing, some who were on maternity leave, those who had left the profession, professional contacts, my past professors/mentors, and fellow RVTs I went to school or worked with.

The responses I got were varied, insightful, and so informative!

People shared their stories of leaving the profession with me due to burnout, compassion fatigue, and mental health struggles.

Others spoke about the lack of livable wages, especially with children in daycare. Some said they loved practicing but wanted a clear point of information on CE opportunities, both domestic and abroad. Others wanted to connect and collaborate with fellow RVTs. Some were seeking mentorship and coaching, both professionally and personally.

I thank those of you who responded. Your feedback, honesty and transparency were integral in creating this project.

Now, anyone who knows me personally can attest to the fact that I am a perfectionist.

It is one of my most significant flaws.

I wait to do things because I want them to be perfect. I want to know ALL the information, all possible questions, and all possible answers before I move forward with something!

What a catastrophe it would be if someone asked me something that I had not mentally rehearsed a response to 50 times over, so it was eloquently delivered?! (Insert eye roll here!)

While I have been working on parts of this project for quite some time, I wanted to wait to launch until things were perfect, I had all the resources complete, and the whole platform was finalized.

I have come to realize that is a foolish endeavour.

Having worked in this profession for over 19 years, there is no finality to what we do in practice or with veterinary medicine, so I am not sure why I expected finality in a resource that caters to the professionals in that industry.

So, with an open mind, lots of room to grow and develop, I decided to bring this resource to fruition.

I will continue to add and create new areas (continuing education, one-on-one coaching, business directory, members-only area, etc.), but let’s connect, collaborate, and share for now.

The best way to achieve anything is to get started.

Let’s get started!