Erika

Early on in my working career I would have never predicted the path I would walk down. I knew I wanted to be around animals, but wasn’t exactly sure how to make that happen. I started by working in local pet stores during high school and really enjoyed being around animals of all kinds and stepping out of my comfort zone to handle large birds-- I’ve been terrified of them since I was a child. I also found an unexpected passion: animal people!

Upon high school graduation, I decided it was time to move on to a “grown up” job while pursuing part time schooling in business at Manchester Community College. I have to admit, I felt like I was dying inside. A walk by MCC’s Career Center lead to a placement test that only came back with one field suggestion: veterinary. I resisted at first and relived a biology class trauma that convinced me that I never wanted to work in this field, never wanted to see surgery, never could deal with an emergency or blood or death. After a few months of contemplation I decided to give it a try, with one big rule: no surgery exposure.

I spent my first few months as a Customer Service Representative, sticking as close to the front desk and avoiding the treatment areas, as much as possible. When I absolutely had to step up to the surgery suite window, I held a patient chart in front of my face, for fear of seeing something awful. As the months went by, I found myself curious, and starting to peek over that chart. I never realized how little “blood” was involved in surgery. It wasn’t anything like watching ER on TV. That curiosity grew into something surprising; a desire to become a veterinary technician. Then, a devastating realization that it would never happen at the clinic I was at.

That actually may have been the best thing that ever happened in my career, because it’s what brought me to Manchester Veterinary Clinic. I started here working in the kennel and reception. A little over a year later I was the Surgery Technician; my dream had come true.

That’s not the end of my path. It’s the beginning of the journey that’s had many unexpected turns that brought me to being MVC’s Practice Manager. I look forward to the next turn or bump in the road.