Passing Along Decades of Experience

***This article first appeared in the Fall 2026 issue of Synergy magazine***

“The average career length of a veterinary technician is about six years,” said Jody Nugent-Deal, a long-time registered veterinary technician (RVT) at UC Davis. “It’s a shame to see so many talented technicians leave the profession. I want them to realize that there are many avenues they can pursue to improve and lengthen their careers, especially at a place as large as our hospital with so many positions available.”

Throughout her 27 years at UC Davis, Nugent-Deal has improved her career prospects in several ways, touching many areas of the hospital. Currently, she is the hospital’s technician trainer, helping technicians be well prepared for their jobs.

After many years of working in private practice, Nugent-Deal was encouraged by her boss to seek better opportunities for her career than he could offer at his small clinic. She landed at UC Davis in 1999 as a technician in the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service. She enjoyed working with exotics and wanted to expand the scope of her profession.

Registered veterinary technicians have the opportunity to achieve a veterinary technician specialist (VTS) credential through various academies approved by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). Only about 1% of all RVTs hold a VTS credential.

In 2008, there was not an academy for exotics care, so Nugent-Deal and a colleague developed a NAVTA-approved program for RVTs to earn a VTS certificate in exotic animal medicine. Their program became an official subset of the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Clinical Practice, and they became its charter members. As exotics care is a niche aspect of veterinary medicine, there are still only 18 VTSs in exotics nationwide, all of whom work in academic teaching hospitals or exotic specialty clinics.

While working with exotics, Nugent-Deal developed a special interest in anesthesia and transferred to the Anesthesia Service to become its lead technician in 2009, also earning a VTS in anesthesia that year. She ended her 15 years with that service as its supervisor in 2023. Along the way, Nugent-Deal served as president (and several other positions) of the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia.

Outside of UC Davis, she lectures at prominent national veterinary conferences, writes textbook chapters, and teaches veterinary technician classes at local community colleges.

“Moving into the technician trainer role in 2023 seemed like a natural career move,” said Nugent-Deal.

In her latest role, her responsibilities include organizing continuing education programs and building training programs and modules to keep technicians up to date on the latest in procedures.

“We’re establishing a comprehensive training program for all technicians to be on the same page and for all to be top-notch in their careers,” Nugent-Deal said. “It’s very rewarding to build quality training for staff to provide the best patient care and have successful and satisfying careers.”

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