Student Experience: Diane Roberts, RVT

“I was always interested in working with animals as a child and was always told I should be a veterinarian. I worked in a kennel situation for six years. I was living in Indianapolis, Indiana, when the veterinarians at the clinic I worked for wanted to send me to Purdue University to become a registered veterinary technician. That’s when I learned what a registered veterinary technician was and realized that is what I wanted to do. I missed my family in Texas, so I researched programs there and chose Cedar Valley’s Vet Tech program. 

“I was 23 when I started the Vet Tech program, and it was a great experience. I had no idea that a community college would offer such an in-depth program. Even though I had a lot of experience working with animals in a kennel situation, I began to learn why veterinarians do certain things the way they do. The program really teaches you a lot. 

“I also had no idea that there would be so much anatomy and physiology involved. I had taken some community college classes before, and it hadn’t gone so well. But I excelled in this because I really loved what I was doing. The whole program was hard, but it was very rewarding. 

“What I love about my job is working with the animals. You have to have a lot of patience to do this job well. I have heard that people who work in this field are of a special sort. We love animals more than is conceivably possible and would do anything for them. When interacting with any animal, you have to be calm, able to read body language and understand why animals react a certain way. I have done everything in a clinic situation from assisting with surgeries, to checking clients into rooms, to bathing, grooming, walking and cleaning cages.

“One of the most important things I learned at Cedar Valley was how to communicate with clients. In any veterinary-related job, you won’t just be working with animals; you’ll also be working with their owners. The owners know more about their pets than anyone. 

“I have recommended Cedar Valley’s program to a number of people and I always explain to them that I get to work with animals and I love what I do.“

Diane Roberts earned her associate degree in Veterinary Technology from Cedar Valley in 1995.

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