Why do some vet techs thrive in corporate while others run straight back to private practice?

In Part 2 of this conversation, host Mallory Dickinson joins Jenn, Julia, and Erin to continue unpacking the real differences between corporate and private veterinary medicine. Building on the stories, frustrations, and laughs from Part 1, this episode dives deeper into leadership breakdowns, employee treatment, burnout triggers, and the surprising culture shifts that happen when ownership changes hands.

Packed with chaos, candid storytelling, clinical insight, and hard-earned wisdom, this episode is the perfect follow-up for anyone navigating the realities of working in today’s vet med world.

🎧 What you'll discover:

– How corporate vs. private leadership actually impacts team morale

– Why mentorship, structure, and trust matter more than written protocols

– The relationship between burnout, underutilization, and pay ceilings

– How “family-style” private practices differ from corporate HR systems

– What new grads should look for when choosing their first clinic

🐾 Who will love this episode:

– Veterinary technicians & assistants

– Animal lovers & pet owners

– Veterinary students & recent graduates

– Vet med professionals seeking humor & community

– Anyone deciding between corporate and private practice

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Cold open chaos: “Are you not entertained?” & spritzers

05:15 – Corporate pros: benefits, CE, equipment & real HR vs. private gray areas

10:02 – Protocols, “recipes,” and when critical thinking actually matters

17:04 – Private practice realities: owner illness, family stress & spillover into staff

24:03 – Title protection debates, OTJ “techs,” and scope-of-practice fights

29:01 – RVT exams, alternate route war stories & imposter syndrome

42:09 – Pay, burnout, multiple jobs & why techs stay too long in bad situations

52:57 – ESOP and employee-owned models: profit sharing, shares & a better path forward

1:10:38 – Corporate vs. private for newbies: how to choose your first clinic

1:13:44 – Final thoughts, bathroom-cry confessions & closing cheers

🔔 Stay Connected:

– Like this video if you learned something new!

– Drop your questions or share your clinic stories in the comments.

– Subscribe & hit the bell icon to never miss an episode.

Welcome to the Nerd Party. We're not okay – and that's totally okay.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📸 Follow us: @Pacific.Lens.Studios

📥 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

Season 2, Episode 2

#VetTech #VetLife #VetTechNerdParty

What really happens when a thriving private veterinary hospital gets bought out by a corporation? Join host Mallory Dickinson and co-hosts Jenn, Julia, and Erin for the explosive Season 2 premiere of Vet Tech Nerd Party. In this brutally honest episode, the crew finally spills the tea on their clinic’s corporate buyout — the shocking mismanagement, emotional fallout, and lessons every vet pro should hear.

Packed with laughs, jaw-dropping stories, and heartfelt reflections, this episode is a must-listen for vet techs, animal lovers, and anyone navigating the changing world of veterinary medicine.

🎧 What you’ll discover:

– The inside story of a real-life corporate takeover in vet med

– How decades-long family clinics are vanishing overnight

– Why leadership failures destroy staff morale and client trust

– The emotional toll on teams when hospitals lose their identity

🐾 Who will love this episode: – Veterinary technicians & assistants

– Animal lovers & pet owners – Veterinary students & recent graduates

– Vet med professionals seeking humor & community

– Anyone curious about the future of private veterinary practice

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro + Season 2 kickoff

01:00 – Catching up after summer break & Beerfest stories

02:10 – The truth about our hospital’s corporate buyout

06:00 – How a pillar of the community fell apart

10:00 – What happened when ownership changed hands

17:00 – Staff walkouts & clients noticing the shift

25:00 – Controlled drugs and chaos behind the scenes

35:00 – Losing trust and watching a legacy fade

47:00 – The final days and closing the doors for good

59:00 – Corporate vet takeovers by the numbers

1:09:00 – Looking ahead to Part 2 (corporate vs private)

🔔 Stay Connected:

– Like this video if you learned something new!

– Drop your questions or share your clinic stories in the comments.

– Subscribe & hit the bell icon to never miss an episode.

Welcome to the Nerd Party. We’re not okay – and that’s totally okay.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📸 Follow us: @Pacific.Lens.Studios 📥 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

Season 2 Ep. 1

#VetTech #VeterinaryPodcast #VetTechNerdParty

Is the day after a holiday the real emergency season?

Join host Mallory Dickinson and co-hosts Jenn, Julia, and Erin for a festive, chaotic, and surprisingly real holiday episode of Vet Tech Nerd Party—ugly sweaters, clinic holiday schedules, post-holiday ER stories, and the behind-the-scenes realities vet teams face this time of year.

Packed with laughs, relatable moments, and hard-earned perspective, this one’s for vet techs, animal lovers, and everyone who’s ever said “they were fine yesterday…”

🎧 What you'll discover:

– How clinics actually split holiday shifts (and why it gets messy)

– The real “holiday surge”: pancreatitis, foreign bodies, chocolate toxicity, and more

– Why the day after the holiday is often worse than the holiday itself

– The emotional side of the season: euthanasia, finances, and compassion fatigue

🐾 Who will love this episode:

– Veterinary technicians & assistants

– Animal lovers & pet owners

– Veterinary students & recent graduates

– Vet med professionals seeking humor & community

– Anyone surviving holiday chaos with pets at home

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Ugly sweaters, holiday drinks, and “Christmasified” intros

04:45 – Holiday clinic scheduling: sign-ups, trades, and fairness drama

10:15 – The real surge: why the days after holidays hit hardest

15:40 – Post-holiday cases: ornaments, tinsel, and foreign bodies

21:10 – Pancreatitis season: prime rib, grease trays, and trash raids

27:10 – Out-of-town emergencies + why holiday clients can be extra stressed

33:40 – The heavy reality: euthanasia spikes, waiting for family, and money pressure

40:15 – Holiday hazards: chocolate toxicity, tree water, lights, and mouth burns

46:30 – Pets as gifts: what not to do + worst “starter pets” for kids

52:10 – Mini science break: why pets act insane during the holidays + guest chaos stories

58:55 – Festivus wrap-up, final story, and goodbye to the year

🔔 Stay Connected:

– Like this video if you learned something new!

– Drop your questions or share your clinic stories in the comments.

– Subscribe & hit the bell icon to never miss an episode.

Welcome to the Nerd Party. We're not okay – and that's totally okay.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📸 Follow us: @Pacific.Lens.Studios

📥 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

Season 1, Ep. 19

#VetTech #VetMedHumor #VetTechNerdParty