Loving animals might make you consider a career in veterinary medicine. But what does it really take to become someone an employer wants on their team?

In this episode of Voices of Vital Care, we bring together the education and employer perspectives with Dr. Katherine Kerr of Pima Medical Institute and Daria McKay of Humane Colorado.

Together, they pull back the curtain on the transition from veterinary student to working professional: what happens when classroom learning meets the realities of a clinic, what employers notice that students may not expect, and why the experiences you have before graduation can shape what happens after it.

The conversation also raises an important question for anyone comparing veterinary training programs: Is getting through school faster always the best way to prepare for the career waiting on the other side?

And when two new graduates walk into an interview, what might give one an advantage that has nothing to do with technical skill?

If you're considering becoming a veterinary assistant or veterinary technician, researching veterinary training programs, or wondering what a career working with animals is really like, this is a conversation worth hearing before you take your next step.

About Voices of Vital Care: Voices of Vital Care explores the people, careers and real-world experiences shaping allied health and the future of patient care.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, stance, or position of Pima Medical Institute.

#VeterinaryAssistant #VeterinaryCareers #VetAssistant #VeterinaryTechnician #VetTech #VeterinaryMedicine #AnimalCareCareers #CareerTraining #HealthcareCareers #VoicesOfVitalCare

Can an X-ray tech become the CEO of a hospital?

For Meiko Onken, the answer wasn't part of the plan.

She didn't set out to become a hospital CEO. She simply kept saying yes to opportunities, learning from every role, and discovering that the career she thought she wanted was only the beginning.

In this episode of Voices of Vital Care, Meiko shares the journey that took her from Pima Medical Institute to leading Banner Casa Grande Medical Center. Along the way, she reveals the lessons that changed her perspective on leadership, career growth, mentorship, and what it really takes to build a meaningful career in healthcare.

If you're a healthcare student, allied health professional, career changer, or simply wondering where your first job could take you, this conversation may change the way you think about your future.

Topics include:

• Allied health careers

• Radiologic technology

• Healthcare leadership

• Career growth

• Hospital administration

• Mentorship

• Imposter syndrome

• Professional development

• Pima Medical Institute

• Banner Health

About Voices of Vital Care

Voices of Vital Care explores the people, professions, and ideas shaping the future of healthcare. Produced in partnership with Pima Medical Institute, each episode features honest conversations with clinicians, educators, employers, and healthcare leaders who are building the next generation of the healthcare workforce.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, stance, or position of Pima Medical Institute.

#VoicesOfVitalCare #HealthcareCareers #AlliedHealth #XRayTech #RadiologicTechnology #HealthcareLeadership #CareerGrowth #HealthcareStudents #HospitalCEO #PimaMedicalInstitute

What does a respiratory therapist really do?

Most people know what nurses and physicians do. Far fewer understand the critical role respiratory therapists play in hospitals every single day. From emergency rooms and ICUs to neonatal care, trauma, critical care transport, pulmonary diagnostics, and life-saving airway management, respiratory therapists are often at the center of medicine's most urgent moments.

In this episode of Voices of Vital Care, host Nohelani Graf sits down with JJ Valdez (JJ the RT), respiratory therapist, educator, advocate, and podcast host, for an honest conversation about the profession behind every breath.

Together they explore:

• What respiratory therapists really do beyond breathing treatments

• How JJ accidentally discovered respiratory therapy and found his calling

• Why RTs are among the most versatile professionals in healthcare

• The emotional reality of caring for critically ill patients

• Why respiratory therapists deserve a larger voice in healthcare leadership

• The future of respiratory therapy, advanced practice RTs, and new career pathways

• How education, storytelling, and advocacy are changing the profession

• Why today's RT students have more opportunities than ever before

Whether you're considering a career in respiratory therapy, currently working in allied health, or simply curious about the people who care for patients during their most critical moments, this conversation offers a rare inside look at one of healthcare's most impactful professions.

Subscribe to Voices of Vital Care for expert conversations on healthcare careers, patient education, disease prevention, and the professionals making a difference every day.

About Voices of Vital Care

Voices of Vital Care explores the people, professions, and innovations shaping the future of allied healthcare. Through conversations with clinicians, educators, and industry leaders, we help students, professionals, and healthcare employers better understand the careers making a difference every day.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, stance, or position of Pima Medical Institute.

#RespiratoryTherapy #RespiratoryTherapist #AlliedHealth #HealthcareCareers #CriticalCare #RTSchool #HealthcareEducation #MedicalCareers #PatientCare #VoicesOfVitalCare #JJTheRT #RespiratoryCare #PulmonaryCare #HealthcareLeadership #MedicalEducation