Learning in vet med isn’t just about CE credits: it’s about access, power, burnout, and who actually gets to grow.

In this episode of Vet Tech Nerd Party, host Mallory Dickinson and co-hosts Jenn, Julia, and Erin settle into a long, honest conversation about what education really looks like for veterinary professionals once real life, money, leadership, and systems get involved.

What starts with stories about conferences, CE budgets, and swag culture quickly expands into something bigger: how techs navigate uneven support, relief work, employer priorities, innovation overload, and the emotional crash that comes when inspiration meets clinic reality. Along the way, the group unpacks learning psychology, skepticism around new products, and why continuing education can become either busywork or one of the few forms of leverage vet techs truly own.

Funny, candid, occasionally unhinged, and deeply relatable, this episode reflects how growth in vet med is rarely linear, fair, or simple, but still worth fighting for.

What you’ll hear explored:

• Why learning in vet med feels energizing and exhausting
• How budgets, leadership, and job structure shape who gets access to growth
• The difference between education that checks boxes and education that changes practice
• Navigating innovation, new products, and healthy skepticism without losing curiosity

Who will resonate with this episode:

• Veterinary technicians & assistants
• Vet med professionals navigating burnout or career transitions
• Veterinary students thinking ahead about longevity
• Relief and contract techs managing growth without built-in support
• Anyone who’s ever come back inspired and hit a wall

Timestamps:

00:00 - Cold open, drinks, and why learning in vet med gets complicated

07:18 - Paying for CE: value, swag, sponsorships, and reality

15:06 - Budget gaps, employer support, and uneven access to growth

25:02 - Online learning, free CE, and making education work without money

34:08 - Why conferences feel so good (group learning & dopamine)

39:52 - The emotional crash: inspiration meets clinic reality

46:11 - Innovation, new products, and professional skepticism

53:14 - Future medicine on the horizon: injectables, nutrition, long-term care

58:40 - Final takeaway: education as leverage, protection, and power

Stay Connected:

• Like this video if it resonated with you
• Share your learning wins or frustrations in the comments
• Subscribe and hit the bell to stay with the Nerd Party Welcome to the Nerd Party. We’re not okay and that’s totally okay.

Resources Mentioned:

• VetGirl (online CE): vetgirlontherun.com
• SCVMA Veterinary Team Member education access: scvma.org/continuing-education

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms

Follow us: @Pacific.Lens.Studios

Contact: [email protected]

Season 2, Episode 6

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