Vet Tech Talk

About Vet Tech Talk

Vet Tech Talk introduces you to the professionals that run the four-year, Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Technology degree program at App State as well as those making a difference in the field of Veterinary Technology the world over. Each episode of Vet Tech Talk also explores the powerful bond between animals and their humans.

Publisher

Appalachian State University

Category

education · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Aug 2022

Latest episode

29 Mar 2023

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Mar 2023

   EP06 Meet the Team - Leigha Wright

   On this episode of Vet Tech Talk we welcome Leigha Wright. Leigha is the Clinical Coordinator at App State’s Veterinary Technology Program. She is an award-winning veterinary technician and teacher, as well as being an avid supporter of her students dedicated to creating a productive environment for their learning. She and her two Airedale terriers live on a Texas. Transcript Dave Blanks: Hello there. Welcome to Vet Tech Talk! I'm Dave Blanks, and I work here at App State in University Communications. On this episode, we're joined by Leigha Wright. Leigha started her veterinary technology career in the Appalachian mountains of Eastern Kentucky. Her career has taken her across multiple states while working in diagnostic laboratories, veterinary schools, and veterinary technology schools. She is a credentialed technician in Texas and was awarded the Licensed Veterinary Technician of the Year Award from the Texas Veterinary Medical Association in 2021. Leigha worked as the Clinical Coordinator for a veterinary technology program in Texas for 3 years prior to joining Appalachian State. Wright earned a Teaching Excellence Award from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development in 2020. She works with the Texas Airedale Rescue Team and has two Airedale Terrier mixes of her own, along with two cats that she rescued while in veterinary technology school. Here’s my conversation with Leigha Wright. Dave Blanks: Leigha? Leigha Wright: Yes. Dave Blanks: Do you want to do a podcast with me? Leigha Wright: Yes, please. Dave Blanks: Let's do this thing. Leigha Wright, you are the clinical coordinator for the Veterinary Technology Program. And where do you live? Leigha Wright: I live in Texas right now. Dave Blanks: All right. Leigha Wright: But I'm from Eastern Kentucky. Dave Blanks: Okay. Leigha Wright: We can't be mistaken for a Texan. Dave Blanks: Well, it's a different accent, right? Leigha Wright: It is. It is. Dave Blanks: But Texans have an accent as well. Leigha Wright: They do. Dave Blanks: Yeah. Leigha Wright: They get a little confused with mine because they're like, you ain't from around here. Dave Blanks: Oh, really? Leigha Wright: But you kind of sound like you might be. So what's going on? Dave Blanks: All right. So you're the clinical coordinator, so that means you're in charge of what? What is your gig here at Appalachian? Leigha Wright: My job as clinical coordinator is I will match all of our vet tech students with the clinical site where there is a credential technician or a DVM. So a veterinarian, that will help them to obtain those hands-on psychomotor skills. Dave Blanks: Psychomotor. Leigha Wright: Yeah. Fancy, right? Dave Blanks: That sounds cool. Leigha Wright: So they get those skills. They learn how to do them at a clinical facility during their clinical externship, and that way these students, yes, it is an online program. So they get those, they get the didactic knowledge. They get it in class. It's online. We're still a community. We're still a team. But then I also help to provide them with teams in the field. So they get to make those connections, make those interactions. And my happy place is matching students to these clinical sites. Dave Blanks: Nice. Leigha Wright: So we match their personalities and everything. Dave Blanks: I gotcha. Wow. Okay. Cool. Well, that sounds very comprehensive. Can you tell me how you came into veterinary technology, veterinary medicine? What was your journey that led you to that? Leigha Wright: Yes. Dave Blanks: Did you always love animals? Leigha Wright: Oh, yes. Dave Blanks: Yes. Leigha Wright: I missed my last day of eighth grade to help my dog give birth. Dave Blanks: Aw. Leigha Wright: So it's always been in my mind. I grew up not knowing what a veterinary technician was. I grew up in eastern Kentucky. I'm from Pike County, Kentucky, deep in the mountains, and I did not know what a vet tech was. I know what a veterinarian- Dave Blanks

2. 

   7 Mar 2023

   EP05 Meet the Team - Rebecca Newman

   On this episode of Vet Tech Talk we welcome Rebecca Newman. Rebecca is the Wellbeing Coordinator at App State’s Veterinary Technology Program. She is a frequent volunteer in the veterinary community, with a focus on wellbeing and advocacy. She and her husband live on a farm in rural Colorado with their 17 well-loved animals. Transcript Dave:Hello there. Welcome to Vet Tech Talk! I'm Dave Blanks, and I work here at App State in University Communications. On this episode, we're joined by Rebecca Newman. Rebecca is new to App State and has taken on the role of Well Being Coordinator for the Veterinary Technology Program. Her passion for wellbeing began when she was a college student working with adolescents with substance use disorders. While pursuing graduate work in clinical psychology,Newman worked as a therapist, primarily focused on anxiety and depressive disorders as well as eating disorders. Always an enthusiastic animal lover, Newman became a credentialed veterinary technician in2016 and combined her passions for wellbeing, education, and veterinary medicine in her role as Student Services Coordinator and then Student Affairs Director at Bel-Rea Institute. Newman served on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians from 2018-2022. Rebecca and her husband live in Colorado on a ranch with so many animals. We’ll get into that in just a bit. Here’s my conversation with Rebecca Newman. Welcome to the podcast, Rebecca. Rebecca Newman: Thank you so much, Dave. Dave: Yeah, I'm glad you're here. So are you ready to get, can we get started? Is that cool with you? Rebecca Newman: I would love to. Dave: Let's jump in. So Rebecca Newman, your official title is the wellbeing coordinator for the Veterinary Technology program here at App State. Rebecca Newman: That is correct. Dave: All right. So have you been a wellbeing coordinator for a veterinary technology program before? Rebecca Newman: I have not. Dave: Oh, new experience. All right. Rebecca Newman: New experience. Dave: Excellent. So what does that entail, being a wellbeing coordinator? We'll get into a little bit about your background, but just brief overview, what's your gig here at Appalachian? Rebecca Newman: So it is a new role in veterinary technology programs, Dave: Okay. Rebecca Newman: And I believe App State has the very first wellbeing coordinator in the United States for a veterinary technology program. And this is huge because wellbeing is an area that has been kind of a side note in vet med, and we are bringing it to the forefront. App State is leading the way. Dave: Awesome. How, Rebecca, did you come into this position? Where'd you start? Was it in the world of veterinary medicine somehow, Rebecca Newman: Sure. Dave: Or? Rebecca Newman: Well, actually, my first career was in clinical psychology. I worked with college students at Rutgers University. Dave: Okay. Rebecca Newman: And I wanted to become a psychologist. My path changed over time and I actually went back to school to become a veterinary technician. So I am a, Dave: Really? Rebecca Newman: A certified veterinary technician. Dave: How uniquely qualified are you for this? Rebecca Newman: I have to say, Dave, these are three of my greatest passions. One, veterinary medicine, two, wellbeing, and three, education and working with students. Dave: Awesome. Wow. Okay. Well that's super interesting to hear. So let's see, how did you find out about this particular position? Rebecca Newman: Well, so I live in Colorado. Dave: Oh, okay. All right. Cool. Rebecca Newman: Yeah, I was student affairs director at a program there, and I left the program to spend a year working on my farm. Dave: Cool. Rebecca Newman: And, Dave: What kind of farm? Rebecca Newman: Oh, we basically take in as many old animals as possible. They don't make us any money, and that just provides extreme happiness to my husband and myself. Dave: That's great. Is it like agritourism in a way?

3. 

   22 Nov 2022

   EP04 Meet the Team - Hannah Huff

   Hannah Huff joins us for this episode.  If you are going to be a student in the Vet Tech program you will most assuredly be talking to Hannah or another Academic Advisor here at Appalachian State. Hannah shares the ways in which she supports her students as well as her advice for navigating this fully online program. Transcript: Dave Blanks: This is Vet Tech Talk, a podcast about Appalachian State University's online four-year Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Technology degree program. Hello there. I'm Dave Blanks, and I work here at App State in University Communications. On this episode, we're joined by Hannah Huff. Hannah has been affiliated with Appalachian State for the past seven years as a student, a graduate assistant, and now an academic advisor as well. She graduated in 2019 with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Human Services, and then returned to App in 2020 to pursue graduate school. She graduated in 2022 with her Master of Arts in Student Affairs Administration, and she has a background in academic advising from her graduate assistantship in the Advising and Orientation Center, as well as experience serving college students using theory-to-practice frameworks, which we get into in the conversation today. In this role currently, Hannah is very excited to expand her advising skill set to learn about the veterinary profession and to support students as they navigate this fully online program. Now here is my conversation with Hannah. Hey Hannah. How's it going? Hannah Huff: Hi, good. How are you? Dave Blanks: I'm great. Thank you for coming down today. We appreciate you being here. Let's start out with what's your job at Appalachian State? What do you do here? You're an academic advisor, but specifically for the Vet Tech program, correct? Hannah Huff: Right. So I am an academic advisor for the Vet Tech program, which is in the College of Arts and Sciences. So, my position is actually pretty unique in that I am split between the College of Arts and Sciences and what's called the Cash Office, and then the Vet Tech team. So, I have my own caseload of Vet tech students, but I also get to learn all of the roles that go into the College of Arts and Science advising and work with second degree students, work with readmission students and learn all the processes and procedures there as well, so I get a good, well-rounded set of skills with this. Dave Blanks: Gotcha. So with Tech, you're advising 70 students. That seems to me like a lot of people to be advising, but I understand it's kind of a small caseload for you. Hannah Huff: Yeah, it's generally pretty small. In my previous role as a graduate assistant, I had at one time about a hundred, maybe a little bit more than that, but 70 right now, and that'll probably increase over the coming semesters when we have more students join the program and more students actually officially declare their major. Dave Blanks: Gotcha. Hannah Huff: Right now I'm coasting at 70, but we'll get a little bit more over time. All right. Dave Blanks: Good plan. So I'm a student, or I want to be a student in the Vet Tech program. How would I encounter you? Hannah Huff: Yeah, so generally, I will be the one who reaches out to students in terms of making appointments. I do have students who reach out to me with general questions that they have, either about their classes or about things at App State and how things kind of work here at the school because- Dave Blanks: These are students already enrolled? Hannah Huff: Already enrolled. Yes. And there were students who were interested in the program who weren't yet enrolled, who were still contacting me, asking me questions. So, I would be able to point them in the right direction or give them whatever answer I could to help them. Obviously, we want them to join the program. We're very excited about it. And anything I can do to encourage them to apply or encourage them to enroll in their classes, I'm going to help them do. Dav

4. 

   15 Nov 2022

   EP03 Meet the Team - Mary Beth McKee

   The Vet Tech program’s Lead Instructional Designer, Mary Beth McKee joins us to explain her role and how she became part of the Vet Tech team as well as the animals in her life. We also discuss building a brand new program with compassionate experts, dive deeper into curriculum and explore a few of the many career paths the program will prepare you for.

5. 

   26 Sept 2022

   EP02 Meet the Team - Jen Serling

   On this episode of Vet Tech Talk, we welcome Jen Serling to the studio. Jen is the assistant program director of the Appalachian State University veterinary technology program. Dave Blanks: Welcome, Jen. I'm going to give a little history on you, but I'm glad you're here. Jen Serling: Thank you so much for having me. It's a pleasure to be here. Dave Blanks: I'm glad you found the place. Thanks for visiting. Jen Serling, you are a credentialed veterinary technician and you have been since 1992. Jen's specialty is large animal nursing. However, she's had quite a bit of experience encompassing all facets of veterinary medicine, and she's been a veterinary technician educator since 2007. Jen, you were also the program director for a veterinary technician school in Tucson, Arizona. And you did that for 11 years, correct? Jen Serling: Correct. Dave Blanks: All right. I told you I was going to just do your thing- Jen Serling: You are. Dave Blanks: ... And then talk to, but I keep bringing you back into the conversation. Jen Serling: It's good. Dave Blanks: You're rolling with it good. Now, you've joined Appalachian State University and our program, which we will discuss today. Jen has written two veterinary technician textbooks for bluedoor Publishing on pharmacology and large animal medicine and nursing, as well as contributed to several other textbooks. In addition to teaching and writing, she's a firm believer in giving back to the community and serves on the board of directors for three animal welfare and rescue groups, as well as donating her time to several veterinary charity events throughout the year. And she is the current president for the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators, or the AVTE, and also a founding member of the Academy of Veterinary Technician Specialists in Education, AVTSE, and holds the advanced certification of veterinary technician and education specialist, VTSE. She currently resides in Tucson, right? Correct? [inaudible 00:01:44]. Jen Serling: Yes. You got it. Dave Blanks: All right. In Arizona, she has a dog, she has a cat who we will learn about, and two grown human boys as well. Welcome, Jen Serling. Jen Serling: Thank you so much. Dave Blanks: Yeah. So, let's start it out by introducing the animals that are in your life. Jen Serling: Yes. So, my two favorite animals... Don't tell my children this, although they know it. So, I have this- Dave Blanks: Wait, are you saying your children are animals too? Jen Serling: Yeah. Well, they're all boys, boys. Yes, they are. Dave Blanks: Then they're wild animals. Jen Serling: But they accept that. But yeah, so I have a dog and a cat now. I used to have a horse, but I've definitely downsized since then. Yeah. So, my cat, his name is Marshall Meowthers and he's an alley cat that I ended up adopting. Initially, his name was called, not my cat, because he came into the school, he kept showing up in the back door and he would just walk in and make himself at home. And I would take him home on the weekends because I didn't want to leave him at the school, and I'm like, "He's not my cat. He's not my cat." And then the weekend kept expanding longer and longer, and so now, I think four years later, he's not my cat. Dave Blanks: Aw. That's awesome. Jen Serling: But he's amazing. He's just this big gray alley cat. And then my absolute favorite child is my golden retriever, named Daffy. Yeah. So, she'll be eight this summer and the kids realize she is my absolute favorite child ever. Dave Blanks: You can't hide it, right? Jen Serling: Yeah. She's dumb as a brick, but she's the best dog ever. Dave Blanks: Aren't Golden's supposed to be relatively intelligent? Jen Serling: Oh yeah, they are. Not this one. There's air in her skull. Dave Blanks: But she's got a good heart, right? Jen Serling: Oh, she's the best. She's the sweetest dog ever. I love her. Dave Blanks: Oh, Daffy. Jen Serling: Yeah. Oh, Daffy. Dave Blanks: Well, you're new to the program h

6. 

   29 Aug 2022

   EP01 Meet the Team - Virginia Corrigan

   Director of Appalachian State University's online Veterinary Technology degree program, Dr. Virginia Corrigan joins University Communication's Dave Blanks on the first ever episode of Vet Tech Talk! Dave and Virginia discuss the new program at App State. Virginia shares the journey that has lead her to this position as well as some of her most meaningful moments during her time as a veterinary professional. Transcript: Dave Blanks: This is Vet Tech Talk, a podcast about Appalachian State University's online four year bachelor of science in veterinary technology degree program. In this first episode, we'll get to know the professionals who run the program here at App State, we'll learn about their lives and the paths that have led them to our university, we'll learn all about the animals in their lives as well. I'm your host, Dave Blanks. Am I an expert in veterinary technology? No, I certainly am not, but not to worry. Our first guest most assuredly, is. Dr. Virginia Corrigan, who's a director of veterinary technology degree program here at Appalachian State. On this first episode, Dr. Corrigan shares her journey from a little girl who loved cats and horses to a doctor of veterinary medicine running this program. You'll learn more about the program, you'll find out what veterinary nursing is and where the program can take you. Also, the important role that wellbeing plays in the field. Now, here's my conversation with Dr. Corrigan. Hello, Virginia. How are you? Dr. Virginia Corrigan: Hello, I am very well today. Thank you. Dave Blanks: Excellent. So you found the place. Dr. Virginia Corrigan: I found it. Dave Blanks: I'm glad. Yeah. Thank you for joining us today to talk about the new veterinary technology program at Appalachian State. We're going to discuss the program, we are going to get to know a little bit about who you are. And this is the first of our podcast about the veterinary technology program. We're going to meet a lot of people, but you're starting us out. Why are you starting us out? Because... Dr. Virginia Corrigan: I'm the program director for veterinary technology. I imagine that is why you asked me to come. Dave Blanks: You're correct. Yeah. So we thought we'd start it out with you. Can you tell us who are you as it pertains to veterinary medicine? And I would like to know also about the animals that are in your life. Dr. Virginia Corrigan: Absolutely. Happy to share. I think who I am and veterinary medicine are very intertwined I would say, because I am a classic veterinarian. I wanted to be a vet from the time I was six years old. I grew up with animals, specifically cats, and then I also had a fascination with horses. For better or worse, my mom led me down the path and she let me ride my first horse when I was six and I was absolutely hooked. And I rode horses growing up and I competed and I lived at the barn. I was one of those girls. And so it was always my manifest destiny to become a veterinarian because I just loved animals. Dave Blanks: Nice. Dr. Virginia Corrigan: Still do. Dave Blanks: So what animals are in your life right now? What are the animals that are a part of your life? Do you have a horse now? Dr. Virginia Corrigan: The funny thing about that, is I went to vet school and I told myself I was going to be an equine veterinarian, because I loved horses so much and I do not have a horse. Dave Blanks: Oh, wow. Dr. Virginia Corrigan: I never have. Dave Blanks: What? Dr. Virginia Corrigan: Because it turns out that horses are really expensive creatures. They are beautiful and I love them dearly. The animals that currently share my life with me, two dogs and two cats. I have a very, very sweet, best dog in the whole wide world named Yogi. He's an almost 14 year old Golden Retriever. He has spent his life as a therapy dog. So he used to come to work with me in my previous job and he worked with students on the campus at Virginia Tech. And so he's just the sweetest dog. Now, he'

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