Most conversations about the veterinary staffing crisis center on the shortage of veterinarians. Far less attention goes to the shortage of credentialed veterinary technicians, or CVTs, even though it strains practices in many of the same ways.
A skilled veterinary recruiter understands that a fully staffed roster of veterinarians still cannot operate at capacity without enough credentialed technicians supporting them. For practices juggling multiple open roles at once, understanding this gap is often the first step toward closing it.
Why the CVT Shortage Is Flying Under the Radar
Veterinarian hiring dominates most industry coverage, conference sessions, and headlines. Meanwhile, CVT vacancies quietly stretch practices thin in the same way an unfilled veterinarian role does, just with less public attention.
A practice can post an open veterinarian position and still be understaffed if there is no one qualified to run diagnostics, monitor anesthesia, or support the caseload behind the scenes.
What Is Driving the Shortage
Several factors are compounding the CVT shortage at once. Credentialing requirements limit how quickly new technicians can enter the field, and many programs are not producing graduates fast enough to keep pace with demand.
The AVMA’s coverage of NAVTA’s most recent demographic survey found that low pay and unclear role definition remain top concerns among credentialed technicians, both of which contribute to turnover and make the field harder to retain talent in.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects steady growth in demand for veterinary technologists and technicians over the coming decade, which means the shortage is unlikely to ease without a deliberate strategy.
Corporate consolidators competing for the same limited pool of credentialed candidates add another layer of pressure for independent and small-group practices.
Why It Matters as Much as the Veterinarian Shortage
A practice can hire every veterinarian it needs and still have a bottleneck at the technician level. CVTs handle much of the clinical workflow that allows veterinarians to see more patients, and without adequate support, appointment capacity shrinks regardless of how many doctors are on staff.
This is one of the hidden ways understaffing quietly erodes revenue and burns out the team, a pattern covered in more depth in the hidden costs of veterinary hiring challenges. If left unaddressed, the strain tends to compound, since overworked technicians are more likely to leave, which only deepens the shortage a practice is already trying to solve.
How a Veterinary Recruiter Approaches CVT Hiring Differently
Reaching Candidates Job Boards Cannot
A job posting only reaches people actively looking for a new role, which is a small slice of the qualified CVT workforce at any given time. A dedicated veterinary staffing partner maintains networks and relationships that reach passive candidates, verifies credentials up front, and moves faster than most in-house hiring processes can manage alone.
Matching for Retention, Not Just a Fast Fill
Filling a CVT role quickly solves an immediate problem, but it does not solve the underlying one if the new hire leaves within a year. A veterinary recruiter who understands team dynamics and culture fit helps practices make placements that last, which matters just as much for team wellbeing as it does for the schedule.
Steps Practices Can Take Now
Waiting for the broader shortage to resolve is not a strategy. Consider the following steps instead:
- Partner with a veterinary recruiter who understands CVT-specific credentialing requirements.
- Review compensation against the scope of responsibility, not just local market averages.
- Streamline the interview process so strong candidates are not lost to a slower competitor.
- Invest in retention and team culture alongside the hiring push itself.
- Consider tuition or credentialing support to help build a longer-term talent pipeline.
Practices that treat CVT hiring with the same urgency as veterinarian hiring tend to see the difference in both patient capacity and team morale within a few months.
Common Mistakes Practices Make When Hiring CVTs
Many practices default to the same generic job posting used for every open role, without accounting for what CVT candidates specifically value. A closer look at what veterinary candidates really want from employers shows how much of the hiring process needs to be tailored to the candidate, not just the position.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CVT, and how is the role different from a veterinary assistant?
A credentialed veterinary technician has completed an accredited program and passed a national exam, allowing them to perform clinical tasks like running diagnostics and monitoring anesthesia.
A veterinary assistant typically learns on the job and works in a more limited, supportive capacity. The distinction matters for hiring, since the two roles require very different sourcing and credentialing strategies.
Why does the CVT shortage get less attention than the veterinarian shortage?
Veterinarian hiring tends to dominate industry conversation because it is more visible to pet owners and easier to measure through open positions. The CVT shortage often shows up more subtly, through reduced appointment capacity and team burnout.
How does a veterinary recruiter find candidates who are not actively job hunting?
A veterinary recruiter builds and maintains a network of credentialed professionals over time, which means they can reach passive candidates directly rather than waiting for applications to come in through a job board.
Can a veterinary recruiter help with retention, not just the initial hire?
Yes. A recruiter who understands a practice’s culture and team dynamics can make placements more likely to last, which reduces the cost and disruption of repeated turnover.
Is working with a veterinary recruiter worth it for a small or single-doctor practice?
Often, yes. Smaller practices frequently have the least internal bandwidth to source, screen, and vet CVT candidates on their own, which is exactly where a recruiter’s existing network and process can save the most time.
Ready to Solve Your CVT Hiring Challenge? Schedule an Insight Session
The CVT shortage is not going away on its own, and practices that address it proactively are better positioned to grow than those waiting for the market to shift.
Our team at Veterinary Solutions Services has knowledgeable veterinary recruiters who can help close the gap with candidates who are both qualified and likely to stay, turning a persistent staffing challenge into a manageable part of the practice’s overall growth plan.
Schedule an Insight Session to talk through your practice’s staffing challenges and what a stronger hiring strategy could look like.