The Real Value of Training Your Veterinary Staff (Hint: It’s Not Just About Skills)
In a busy veterinary hospital, it is easy to put team training on the back burner. There are patients to treat, clients to call back, and way too many things on every manager’s to-do list. But according to the 2025 Practice Manager Report by iVET360, skipping out on staff development might be costing your practice more than you think.
Only 23% of hospitals surveyed reported having a structured development or growth plan for their teams. That means more than three-quarters of veterinary teams are just trying to figure it out as they go. And while that might feel efficient in the moment, it often leads to confusion, burnout, and turnover.
Training Isn’t a Luxury. It’s a Retention Strategy.
When people know how to do their jobs well, they stay longer, work smarter, and feel more confident. More importantly, they feel invested in.
One manager in the report shared:
“We lose great team members not because of pay, but because they don’t feel like they are growing or being challenged.”
It is a reminder that money isn’t always the main reason people leave. Often, it is a lack of direction, mentorship, or purpose.
Cross-Training Is a Win-Win
One standout strategy from the report is cross-training. By teaching your team how to do more than just their primary role, you create flexibility and reduce the chaos that comes with unexpected call-outs or schedule changes.
It also builds empathy. When your CSR understands the demands of a tech’s role—or vice versa—collaboration improves. Silos shrink. Teamwork grows.
The PMs who have implemented cross-training say it has dramatically reduced friction, especially during high-stress times.
How to Start Building a Development Plan (Without Overwhelm)
You don’t need to roll out a full-scale training program overnight. Start with one of these simple steps:
- Identify a skill each team member wants to grow
- Set monthly check-ins to talk about progress
- Create a shared document with quick guides or SOPs
- Recognize when someone takes the initiative to learn something new
The goal is not perfection. It is progress and consistency.
What Gets Trained Gets Retained
The 2025 report shows that practices with regular training and development plans see better morale, stronger leadership from within, and far fewer staffing gaps.
Veterinary medicine is not getting any easier, but your team can get stronger. Training is not just about skills. It is about trust, confidence, and growth—for them, and for your practice.
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