





We are often responsible for training, leading and supporting other technicians in the workplace. And since many technicians advance their career by pursuing practice management or other leadership roles, we are frequently in an ideal position to have a positive impact on the profession as a whole.
Tools such as mentorship and training can be used to build confidence in new technicians, opportunities for experienced technicians and community for all technicians. And while both training and mentoring offer a guided learning environment, there are characteristics that differ between them.
Mentoring
- Foundation: Relationship-based
- Focus: Personal and career satisfaction and development
- Format: Two-sided exchange
Mentoring is a relationship-based experience designed to support both personal and career satisfaction and development. Mentoring relationships can be especially helpful during times of transition, such as when an individual is starting their career, changing workplaces, taking on a new role or aspiring to advance in their profession.
A mentorship can provide essential encouragement and feedback as one navigates new challenges and opportunities. Mentorships may be local, such as individuals sharing a workplace, or virtual, which may carry benefits for those seeking access to a greater diversity of experience and perspectives.
Mentoring relationships can exist in a number of forms, several of which are described in the 2023 AAHA Mentoring Guidelines.1 Most people are likely familiar with the idea of a one-on-one mentorship, where the mentor is experienced in the field and the mentee is new to the profession (or at least less experienced). This type of mentorship can offer valuable support and guidance as the mentee adjusts to their chosen career.
Other one-on-one mentorships may involve two individuals undergoing similar challenges or changes, where they offer support and advice to one another. Conversely, mentorships connecting two people with very different experiences can provide excellent learning opportunities for both parties.
Mentorships may also involve more than two people. One mentor may engage with multiple mentees, as is the case with group mentorship. For example, a Veterinary Technician Specialist may take on a cohort of applicants as mentees. In other cases, a single mentee may benefit from multiple mentors, each addressing a specific area of professional or personal need.
No matter the number of participants or experience level of those involved, all parties are responsible for maintaining open communication, cultivating an environment of trust (including confidentiality) and committing to the mentorship relationship.
Mentoring relationships have the potential to significantly impact the sustainability of the veterinary technician profession. According to the MentorVet Tech Program Evaluation published in the MentorVet 2022-2023 Impact Report, veterinary technicians who participated in a six-month mentoring program reported a statistically significant decrease in burnout and increase in wellbeing.2 In a field with notoriously high levels of turnover and attrition, these benefits represent a lifeline for career longevity.
Through mentorships, veterinary technicians can build a community where supporting one another means a stronger future for veterinary medicine.
Training
- Foundation: Performance-based (usually has measurable outcome/goal)
- Focus: Skill-set development
- Format: More one-sided (trainer to trainee)
Training is a performance-based experience designed to help an individual develop a set of skills or proficiencies. A good training program can help an employee feel confident in their own abilities and in the quality of their workplace.
The AVMA 2016-17 Future Leaders Program identified new hire training as one of the foundations for creating a positive workplace culture.3 They recommend a collaborative approach to developing a training program, allowing all employees to contribute to and modify new hire training. This fosters teamwork and ensures a practice is truly centered on the diverse perspectives of its community members.
While training is more one-sided than mentorship, with information being passed from the trainer to the trainee, feedback is still critical to success. Modifications may be necessary based on trainee needs, and such adjustments may strengthen the program for future hires.
Most people associate training with new employees, but training programs should not be reserved for recent hires. Continuing education and training are important to career growth, team building and employee retention. New equipment, updated medical techniques, changes in protocol or new products may prompt staff training. It is equally valuable to touch base on established procedures, soliciting feedback and offering retraining as needed.
Technicians can support one another’s career growth by attending continuing education courses together and discussing what they have learned. This may even lead to technician-driven initiatives at a practice, deepening professional investment and fulfillment.
Both mentoring and training can play an important role in creating a positive workplace culture and increasing employee retention.
Best Practices for Mentoring & Training
- DEIB Training
All participants in a mentoring or training program should undergo DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) training/education before professional relationships begin. This helps foster increased awareness of differences in lived experiences that may influence interactions and perspectives. The 2023 AAHA Mentoring Guidelines recommend DEIB training that prepares participants to recognize, acknowledge, and discuss issues such as implicit bias, privilege, and power dynamics.1
It is critical that a foundation in DEIB precedes any other mentoring or training in order to minimize the burden of service placed on marginalized individuals to “educate” their peers. While individuals can certainly learn from one another, it should be in the form of mutual growth, building on an established understanding.
- Clear Goals and Expectations
Both mentoring and training programs should center on a set of clear goals and expectations. In mentorships, the mentee may be the one to set these parameters. In training relationships, the trainer usually is responsible for clarifying desired outcomes.
Systems such as SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals and PACT (purposeful, actionable, continuous, and trackable) goals help provide a structured way to establish and track career and/or personal objectives. Using a goal system helps ensure the intended purpose of the relationship remains in focus. As individuals grow, goals can be updated to reflect progress or change.
- Regular Check-Ins
All professional relationships should include regular check-ins to ensure effectiveness, make adjustments and encourage communication. Check-ins should be scheduled at regular intervals rather than exclusively prompted by a concern or problem. This allows individuals who may be hesitant to draw attention to areas of potential conflict to have an anticipated opportunity to give feedback.
Frequent check-ins allow any issues to be addressed early, ideally before they become prohibitive to success. They also help identify areas where additional support, change in protocol or policy, or reassignment of responsibilities may be indicated.
- Maintain Psychological Safety
Meaningful communication is reliant on establishing and maintaining a psychologically safe environment. A psychologically safe environment is one in which an individual can make mistakes, try new things, discuss challenging topics, and seek and share honest feedback without fear of retribution or attack.
Without psychological safety, people are less likely to be honest with one another, undermining the value of a relationship intended to foster growth. Psychological safety is linked to increased employee retention, motivation and happiness. Mentoring and training both require psychological safety to maximize their positive impact.
Veterinary technicians have the skills to help create a supportive community within our profession. New and experienced technicians alike benefit from the guidance of our peers. By thoughtfully and consistently using tools like mentorship and training, we can shape veterinary medicine into a career with a strong, sustainable future.
References
- 2023 AAHA Mentoring Guidelines. (2023, June 27). American Animal Hospital Association. https://www.aaha.org/resources/2023-aaha-mentoring-guidelines/
- MentorVet Impact Report 2022-2023. (2023). MentorVet, LLC. https://www.mentorvet.net/impactreport
- CPR To Revive Your Veterinary Team. (2017). AVMA Future Leaders Program 2016-17. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/resources/CPR-Vet-Team-Meetings.pdf