Congratulations to Laura Southworth, RVT for being voted Veterinary Technician of the Year! Here are just a few of the things nominators had to say about her!
“In everything she touches, Laura leaves things better than she found them.”
CACVT: How many years have you been a veterinary technician?
Laura: I have been a technician for 12 years.
CACVT: Can you summarize your work experience and how you got to where you are today, professionally?
Laura: I have always been drawn to jobs revolving around animals, including working for a large cat rescue in Indiana, being a program leader for horsemanship at a summer camp, and handling for an Iditarod musher for three seasons. About 15 years ago, I was competing in agility with my dog, Ellie. She seemed off, but my veterinarian was unable to find a cause after examinations and blood tests to look for systemic issues. Following a seminar by a canine physical therapist on improving reach and drive in your dog, Ellie received six months of rehab to treat a strained muscle, and she was moving better than she ever did before. Due to distance, most of her treatments focused on therapeutic exercises and operant conditioning. The process was rewarding, exciting, and inspiring, so I decided to go back to school and earned my veterinary technician certification. I contacted Ellie’s physical therapist for an externship, which led to being hired in the rehab department, and 12 years later I’m still working for that same organization!
CACVT: Please describe a time when you went beyond the call of duty.
Laura: I believe my duty is to give each patient the best care they can possibly receive in that moment with the resources provided, and so I have a hard time singling out a moment when I went beyond this. Owners are entrusting their loved one in our care, and I strive to give each one the care I would want my own pets to receive. I also believe our clients deserve compassion. If a client interaction is not going as harmoniously as I would hope, I try to remember that client is most likely responding to fear from maybe a poor diagnosis, but ultimately it is centered around their love for their family member. When I focus on that love and human-animal bond between owner and pet, it makes it much easier for me to have these interactions with the goal of coming to a resolution. Working in a university setting, I also believe it is my duty to educate and lead by example. Sometimes this means taking extra time to listen to students’ challenges to help them navigate through the situation.
CACVT: What are you most proud of in your career so far?
Laura: It is very easy to be grateful for all those moments when our patients get better. For instance, an owner in tears brought in her young German Shepherd, expecting to have to say goodbye due to severe hip dysplasia. About half a year later, those tears turned to joy and gratitude for her dog that was now able to run and play following an extensive course of rehab. Or witnessing a severely obese Labrador with orthopedic disease trim down to a healthy weight, resolving his orthopedic issues, and being able to return to his sport of hunting. I am grateful I get to be part of these journeys and recognize I am just one piece of the whole puzzle between owner, pet, and the entire rehabilitation and veterinary team. I am also grateful I work at a university, where I can share my love for what I do, and hopefully inspire others to find ways to share what they love in the way they interact with those around them, both human and non-human.
