Course Description

Effective: 2015-05-01

General Course Purpose

This course is intended to introduce the aspiring licensed veterinary technician to the business procedures associated with running a practice. The course focuses both on the skills that are required to get hired (like creating a resume and interviewing) and succeeding as a new professional. Students are exposed to policies and procedures that govern how practices run. In addition, there is a heavy emphasis on the ?soft skills,? like customer service and phone etiquette, that are imperative to the long-term success of the business.

Course Objectives

• Distinguish roles of individual hospital personnel.
• Demonstrate proficiency in communicating effectively.
• Practice healthy and effective conflict resolution.
• Conduct a successful interview.
• Draft a high-impact resume.
• Explore career opportunities.
• Recognize best practices in personnel management.
• Use veterinary practice software.
• Provide strong client collaboration, client relations, and grief counseling.
• Maintain accurate business and medical records.
• Identify regulatory compliance.
• Implement marketing strategies.
• Discriminate effective approaches to manage time and stress.

Major Topics to be Included

• Virginia Statutes and Regulations
• Cross-Practice Communications (including roadblocks and listening skills)
• Assertion, Conflict Resolution, and Control
• Interviews, Resumes, and the Job Search
• Client Relations
• Personnel Management
• Purchasing and Inventory
• Maintaining Records (Business, Medical, OSHA, Corporate, Pet Health Insurance)
• Collections
• Telephone Techniques
• Marketing
• Time Managements, Stress Management, and Burnout