The Vet Tech Cafe's Podcast Vet Tech Cafe

Caffeinators, are you ready to have your mind blown?
We've long thought it's time to rethink veterinary technician education, and many out there agree. Thankfully, Jennifer Gunther is someone that is out there doing it. She's been an educator at Denver Community College's vet tech program for 20+ years, and they have recently started an apprenticeship program that exists separately and in addition to their standard, 2 year AVMA accredited program.
But here's the deal: It's not an alternate route/alternate pathway. They still graduate with a 2 year degree, it's still AVMA approved, they just work 30 hours a week at an approved hospital and do the education part remotely. Jennifer discusses all the ins and outs of an apprenticeship program, and the hoops they had to go through with the US Department of Labor to get approval, along with vetting the hospitals and applicants, and SO MUCH MORE.
She talks challenges and the uniqueness of the program-it is the FIRST and ONLY so far in the US! Is this the future of veterinary technician education? Take a listen and let us know what you think.
 
Show Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-gunther-a2556b110/
https://www.ccd.edu/
 
Our Links:
Check out our sponsor https://betterhelp.com/vettechcafe for 10% off your first month of therapy
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vettechcafe
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vettechcafepodcast
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vet-tech-cafe
Like and Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMDTKdfOaqSW0Mv3Uoi33qg
Our website: https://www.vettechcafe.com/
Vet Tech Cafe Merch: https://www.vettechcafe.com/merch
If you would like to help us cover our podcast expenses, we'd appreciate any support you give through Patreon. We do this podcast and our YouTube channel content to support the veterinary technicians out there and do not expect anything in return! We thank you for all you do. 🐾
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/vettechcafe
Dog Days Consulting Social Media Management - https://dogdaysconsulting.com/

Caffeinators, have you ever thought about what it would be like to be a traveling veterinary technician? Maybe have a home base, but otherwise constantly on the road traveling to all corners of the US and working relief? Then have we got an episode for you!
Our friend Simon Chavez recently stopped by one of our locations-it may have been Chicago, Boston, or Anchorage, we're not sure-but we had a very interesting conversation on what life and a career look like as a locum technician! We talked about how Simon built his network of hospitals he does most of his relief at, how he builds his schedule, getting started, taxes, travels, licensing, all of it.
We literally circled the map in this discussion, and we're sure that in the time since we recorded this episode, Simon has re-circled the US again as well! Oh, and we also talk about his traveling sidekick, Bruce Wayne!
 
Show Links:
https://www.mspca.org/medical-centers/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-chavez-4b071436/
 
Our Links:
Check out our sponsor https://betterhelp.com/vettechcafe for 10% off your first month of therapy
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vettechcafe
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vettechcafepodcast
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vet-tech-cafe
Like and Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMDTKdfOaqSW0Mv3Uoi33qg
Our website: https://www.vettechcafe.com/
Vet Tech Cafe Merch: https://www.vettechcafe.com/merch
If you would like to help us cover our podcast expenses, we'd appreciate any support you give through Patreon. We do this podcast and our YouTube channel content to support the veterinary technicians out there and do not expect anything in return! We thank you for all you do. 🐾
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/vettechcafe
Dog Days Consulting Social Media Management - https://dogdaysconsulting.com/

Hello from Phoenix!  Our second "staff meeting" trip to Phoenix.  We recap our trip and have a discussion about "Things we don't do anymore".  

Caffeinators, if you've been listening in a while, you've heard several guests recommend Doc Jim when we ask who they think we should talk to. And guess what?! We got him! We don't often have veterinarians on our podcast, but there are those who are integral to our development as a profession and Doc Jim is certainly one of them!
Holy cow was this episode fun! He is such a huge supporter "of our amazing profession" and we talk extensively about how he gave up practicing as a small animal veterinarian over 40 years ago to blaze the path of being involved in veterinary technician education. It's really mind-boggling what a trailblazer he was at that time.
We talk a lot about vet tech education and how that's evolved and how the leadership in our field has evolved as well. This episode is as fun as it is fascinating. You don't want to miss this one!
 
Guest Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jim-hurrell-40119b61/
 
Our Links:
Check out our sponsor https://betterhelp.com/vettechcafe for 10% off your first month of therapy
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vettechcafe
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vettechcafepodcast
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vet-tech-cafe
Like and Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMDTKdfOaqSW0Mv3Uoi33qg
Our website: https://www.vettechcafe.com/
Vet Tech Cafe Merch: https://www.vettechcafe.com/merch
If you would like to help us cover our podcast expenses, we'd appreciate any support you give through Patreon. We do this podcast and our YouTube channel content to support the veterinary technicians out there and do not expect anything in return! We thank you for all you do. 🐾
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/vettechcafe
Dog Days Consulting Social Media Management - https://dogdaysconsulting.com/

Caffeinators, anchors aweigh, it's time to set sail! Have you heard of Vet Tech Life? Have you heard of CE on the Sea? If so, then you know Kelly Cronin. We know her from our VTS(ECC) study group days over 10 years ago, and she came by the Vet Tech Cafe recently to talk about this amazing CE event, which recently sailed, along with so many other topics! She talked a lot about management and transitioning to that role, we talked a lot about financial fitness and how we can achieve that in our field
**SPOILER ALERT**-it is possible, and also her consulting business. We also touched on her vacation property rental business and so much more. We feel like we circled the globe in this one, and we kinda did! Download today!
 
Kelly's Links:
All of the things:  linktr.ee/kellylynncroninwww.vettechlife.com 
VetTechLife CE on the Sea 2025: https://vettechlife.com/2025-cruise-info-here
VetTechLife CE on the Sea 2025 Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/vtlceonthesea/
VetTechLife financial fitness : https://www.facebook.com/groups/1565420814266226/

Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellylynncronin/
Email: kelly.lynn.cronin@gmail.com 
Online and ondemand courses: https://successstrategies.podia.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Books-Kelly-Lynn-Cronin/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AKelly+Lynn+Cronin
 
Our Links:
Check out our sponsor https://betterhelp.com/vettechcafe for 10% off your first month of therapy
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vettechcafe
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vettechcafepodcast
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vet-tech-cafe
Like and Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMDTKdfOaqSW0Mv3Uoi33qg
Our website: https://www.vettechcafe.com/
Vet Tech Cafe Merch: https://www.vettechcafe.com/merch
If you would like to help us cover our podcast expenses, we'd appreciate any support you give through Patreon. We do this podcast and our YouTube channel content to support the veterinary technicians out there and do not expect anything in return! We thank you for all you do. 🐾
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/vettechcafe
Dog Days Consulting Social Media Management - https://dogdaysconsulting.com/

Caffeinators, it's time for our monthly checkin from the Vet Tech Taproom. Have you checked in with yourself lately? We got together to discuss a couple things for this episode, mostly what happens when an owner has a bad experience or negative outcome at the hospital and threatens to go "public"-meaning social media or the news? How do you or your hospital respond? We give our analysis of what we see happen most frequently, and then openly discuss what we think should happen. What do you think? We cover other ground here too, so download today and join the conversation!