By the time you have spent many decades in veterinary medicine, you start to realize something important: careers rarely unfold exactly the way we planned them. When I first became a credentialed veterinary technician more than 30 years ago, I assumed my professional path would be fairly linear—clinical practice, continuing education, maybe a leadership role in a hospital someday. Where I ended up today was nothing like what I had anticipated or expected and it's been a fantastic journey.
What I discovered instead is the veterinary technician profession is far broader, richer, and more dynamic than many of us were led to believe early in our careers. Clinical practice is the backbone of our profession, but it is not the only destination. Over the years, I have watched technicians move into education, research, industry, public policy, wildlife medicine, global health, entrepreneurship, and professional advocacy. The options for credentialed technicians have become endless opportunities and the chance to dream big. Yet many technicians never explore those possibilities, not because they lack talent, drive, or curiosity, but because they simply never pause long enough to imagine what else might be possible. We get so bogged down in our day-to-day functions, that we forget there is a whole professional world out there. This is particularly important to remember when burnout and compassion fatigue set in. We aren't stuck and we have options! That is where the idea of a professional bucket list comes in.
Just as many people keep personal bucket lists for travel or life experiences, credentialed veterinary technicians can benefit tremendously from building a career bucket list. This is a living document of professional goals, experiences, and contributions they hope to accomplish throughout their careers. The most important thing to remember is this is not the end-all list and is adaptable. A wonderful thing about a bucket list is when you have been in this profession long enough, that list can become both surprisingly ambitious and deeply meaningful.
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The role of credentialed veterinary technicians has evolved dramatically over the past several decades. While the clinical skills that define the profession remain central—anesthesia monitoring, patient care, diagnostics, and client education—the profession itself has expanded into many new arenas.
Today, technicians are working in a plethora of clinic adjacent areas, including:
- Research and laboratory animal medicine
- Veterinary industry and corporate roles
- Educational and academic roles
- Public health and One Health careers
- Regulatory and policy work
- Veterinary technology program leadership
- International veterinary outreach
- Entrepreneurship and business ownership
- Nonprofit leadership and advocacy
For many technicians, these pathways emerge organically over time. A technician may start in general practice, discover a passion for anesthesia, pursue a specialty certification, and eventually transition into teaching or consulting. Others may pivot entirely—moving from clinical work into veterinary technology education, industry training roles, or professional association leadership. The key point is this: our profession is no longer one-dimensional. But in order to take advantage of these opportunities, technicians must first give themselves permission to think beyond the exam room.
Why a professional bucket list matters
One of the most consistent observations I have made in my decades-long career is technicians are often incredibly focused on caring for patients and supporting their teams but far less focused on their own long-term professional development. We tend to be focused on the short-term survival mode rather than where we could end up in five, 10,15, or more years. We are helpers by nature. We prioritize the needs of our patients, clients, veterinarians, students, and coworkers. Career planning often falls to the bottom of the list. A professional bucket list flips that script.
It encourages technicians to ask questions such as:
- What professional experiences would I regret not pursuing?
- How do I want to contribute to the profession?
- What impact do I want to have on future technicians?
- Where do I want my expertise to grow?
- What legacy do I hope to leave?
A professional bucket list is not about ego or accolades. Instead, it is about intentional career growth. It is about making sure your professional journey includes experiences that inspire you, challenge you, and expand your influence and impact within the field.
6 categories for a veterinary technician bucket list
While every technician's list will be different, many bucket list goals fall into several broad categories. Not only can it be categorized but I also recommend looking at it in different phases. Sometimes a goal of "writing a textbook" can seem daunting but "writing an article" is less of an obstacle. So take those goals and build one from the others. For example, you could list you have a goal of within a year you will write that article for Veterinary Practice News and in the next five years you would like to have written a textbook chapter or an entire textbook. The point of the bucket list isn't to discourage or have unattainable goals but to have aspirations to strive for both in the immediate and long-term futures.
1. Clinical mastery: For many technicians, the first bucket list goals center around developing deep clinical expertise. These might include:
- Earning a Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS)
- Mastering advanced anesthesia techniques
- Becoming the go-to technician for critical care cases
- Developing advanced imaging or surgical nursing skills
- Building expertise in pain management
Clinical excellence is the cornerstone of our profession, and many technicians find tremendous satisfaction in pushing their technical skills to the highest possible level.
2. Teaching and mentorship: One of the most rewarding evolutions in a technician's career is the shift from learner to mentor. Helping the next generation of technicians succeed is not only personally fulfilling—it is also essential for strengthening the profession as a whole. I would also add into this category to find a mentor. By opening yourself up to others, you never know who you might meet. Veterinary medicine is a small world and it thrives when we help build each other up.
Bucket list goals in this category might include:
- Teaching veterinary technology students
- Becoming a clinical instructor
- Mentoring new technicians in practice
- Precepting externship students
- Developing training programs within a hospital
