A Little Background Kim Gardner, Instructor Vet Tech Program
Kim Gardner grew up on a farm in southeastern Idaho. She had originally wanted to become a nurse, but when it came time to go to school she discovered that her love for animals was stronger and entered the Veterinary Technician program at BYU.
She received a BS from BYU as an Animal Health Technician, and a Master’s degree from BYU in Dairy Nutrition. She worked as a TA for four years in BYU’s riding program, and then became a riding instructor and one of Dr. John Knowles Technicians. It was during this time that she discovered that her passion was reproduction. “It is all fun,” she said, “I love seeing the baby animals in spring time.” When BYU’s Veterinary Technology program ended, she continued to follow Dr. Knowles to large animal facilities in Texas, Utah, and California. She says that her favorite smells are OB lube and horse manure. She is now back in Utah and lives with her three cats and three horses.
How has school helped you to prepare for the workforce?
She was able to have several internship opportunities and lots of hands on experience with large animals. She felt that this gave her more familiarity with the work and better helped to prepare her for the field. One of the most beneficial classes that she took was Spanish. Many of the farm hands that she worked with knew little English and the veterinarians knew little Spanish. She felt that having a good grasp of the language helped her to communicate professionally with the farm hands and allowed her to work closely with them. “We need to present ourselves as educated because we are. We need to be able to communicate professionally with our clients.”
What advice would you give to students preparing to enter the Veterinary Technician field?
To those going out into the field: “You don’t know everything. What you learned in school is not the only way to do it. We teach you the middle of the road, to give you a good basis and now you can expand on that.”
To those interested in the program: “The General Education classes are good for you. They teach you how to be professional in your writing, speaking, and spelling. Spelling counts!” She shared the common spelling problem of bridle verses bridal. Knowing which one you are putting on the horse is important, but letting others know by how you spell it is equally so. “It creates a good impression if you can present yourself professionally.” She also encourages every student to get all the education they can. “It is all good for you.”
Broadview University is excited to welcome Kim to our faculty.
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