Grad finds her path working with pets

Veterinary patient care assistant coordinator Jade Yuan takes some time to unwind with her dog, Jackie.

Jade Yuan was unsure of the direction she wanted to take when the Veterinary Office and Animal Care (VOAC) Program was introduced in 2006.

"I was studying at Douglas at the time, taking a variety of classes while trying to figure out what to do with my future. I had always wanted to do something related to animals but couldn't figure out which career path to work on. I thought to myself ‘Hey, wouldn't this be a great program for me to work on? It may just be my path.'"

Yuan attended a VOAC information session and decided to follow her instinct that this was the field for her. "I am so glad that I made the decision I did," she says.

The program, which is offered through Continuing Education - Business, is a 24-week, full-time program. Students receive the hands-on training needed to handle pets and paperwork. In addition to gaining the skills needed to work in the field, Yuan says learning with a small group - each class has a maximum of 25 students - in a convenient location made her experience at Douglas a positive one.

Before graduating, students complete a work placement where they can apply what they have learned. Yuan so impressed her employers at Canada West Veterinary Specialists and Critical Care Hospital that she was hired permanently.

"I found it very easy to pick up and relate what I learned in class and in textbooks to real-life scenarios," says Yuan, who is now a patient care assistant coordinator.

Brenda Welock, a coordinator for Continuing Education - Business at Douglas, was inspired to create the VOAC Program after her dog Ziggy was hit by a car. Though Ziggy got plenty of love from veterinary staff, Welock says she "didn't get all the essentials" of good animal care. After Ziggy was transported from the veterinary clinic to a specialist for her scheduled neurosurgery, it had to be delayed as she was dangerously dehydrated.

Welock was determined to create a program that focused not only on administrative procedures, but also taught animal care and diseases, anatomy, physiology, grooming and handling.

VOAC applicants must have a minimum two days experience volunteering at one or more veterinary clinics. Yuan says this gives prospective students a chance to see the wide range of duties they may have working in the field.

"I think many people do not realize how hard the job can be physically and mentally. It's not always cuddling and loving patients, and it definitely is not always just animal care. You need to be willing to do anything from scrubbing floors to cleaning animal bottoms to client communication," says Yuan.

Her education and experience in the field also led to unanticipated adventures, including working at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre last Summer.

Yuan says she couldn't be happier with her decision to take the VOAC Program.

"I got so much out of the program. With all the hard work I put in during and post graduation, it really paid off," Yuan says.

Get more information about the VOAC Program at one of the next free information sessions scheduled on April 9, May 7 or June 4 at 6pm, room 4247, New Westminster Campus (700 Royal Ave., just one block from the New Westminster SkyTrain Station). Contact Laury De Bow at 604-527-5607 or email debowl@douglascollege.ca to register.

Links:

Information Sessions
Continuing Education
Veterinary Office and Animal Care
Canada West Veterinary Specialists and Critical Care Hospital