Merriam-Webster defines success as a degree or measure of succeeding: a favorable or desired outcome. The definition of excellence is the quality of being excellent: an excellent or valuable quality.
What do biology, hematology, radiography, and pharmacology all have in common? They are all a sampling of the courses one takes on the path to becoming a technician. Becoming certified is a long and arduous process. Add to this that the average salary of a technician was $33,870 in May of 2016 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). You need to know that this job is never ever about the money.
If you grew up loving animals and feeling compelled to help them, then this may be the job for you. I know that sounds strikingly similar to college handouts describing who would excel in veterinary medicine. The truth is that there is so much more to it than that. There needs to be a great deal of compassion and understanding for owners. To say that you need great people skills and the patience of a saint is an understatement. And above all else, you must never forget the importance and the impact of what you do.
Success is graduating and going on to pass your state test while excellence is embracing the fact that the journey does not end there. There is no finish line, but a continuous drive to learn more, to help more, and to love more. We vet techs may not have a huge savings account, but our hearts are full as we continue reaching for excellence. Always knowing that it will remain one step ahead, propelling us beyond mere success.