Danielle Chesek, CVT and Penn Foster Vet Academy Lead, Talks About the Role of Vet Techs and the Challenges They Face in New Podcast
October 21, 2025
In the Vet Times Podcast episode titled “Ep 126: Vet technicians and the issues they are facing,” Danielle Chesek, CVT and team lead at Penn Foster Group, discusses the mounting pressures on veterinary technicians amid an anticipated shortage of 24,000 companion-animal veterinarians in the U.S. by 2030. She highlights that while technicians are being asked to fill critical gaps in practices, they simultaneously face long-standing challenges such as burnout, underutilization of their skills, retention issues, and inadequate compensation. Chesek underscores the urgent need for the industry to fully recognize and empower vet techs—by properly leveraging their training, protecting their professional title, and offering clearer career pathways—to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of veterinary teams.