My duties include prepping the surgery suit and prep table for patients within the shelter. I am trained on how to wrap and sterilize surgery packs using and autoclave. I am trained on safe and fear-free animal handling on dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, and a variety of birds. I am able to give subcutaneous and intramuscular injections, start IVs, give fluids, oral, and topical medication. I assist pre, post, and during surgery by monitoring, prepping, and recovering patients within the shelter for various procedures.

My responsibilities are to monitor the dogs as they play within our facility and to follow proper clean-up and sanitation procedures throughout the day. I am expected to become familiar with all of the dogs and to learn their names and usual behavior to observe if/when anything becomes amiss. I am prepared to intervene should the dogs become aggressive. I have been able to work with a large variety of dog breeds both big and small, as well as been able to identify the different body language of the dogs.

My responsibilities are to help prepare slides through the many stages of their creation and to deliver them to the proper pathologists within the lab. I am familiar with the specific procedures that will allow me to keep not only myself but also my coworkers, safe. I have been able to develop the skills I need to be able to work in a professional setting both independently as well as with a team, in a laboratory. I have gained experience in time management and the knowledge of proper PPE for individual tasks.

My responsibilities were to observe and assist both the veterinarians and the veterinary technicians with their daily duties around the clinic. This has been a great learning experience for me and has given me the skills I need to be able to work in a professional setting with a variety of animals and their owners in a broad variety of medical situations both routine and emergency.