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Journey to VTS is a California Veterinarian series spotlighting registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) in California who have earned a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) certification, exploring how and why they became certified, challenges they faced, benefits to certification, their daily life as a specialty technician, and more.
Lauren Halberg earned her VTS in surgery in October of 2025. She has been working at MedVet Mountain View since 2018.
This article was originally printed in the July/August 2026 issue of the California Veterinarian magazine.
CVMA: What inspired you to pursue your VTS?
LAUREN HALBERG: I had the great fortune of being surrounded by VTS members from other disciplines. Witnessing their advanced knowledge and the level of veterinary care they provided was my main source of inspiration.
Why did you choose surgery as your specialty?
It combines my love of critical thinking with hands-on problem solving—to diagnose a problem and directly intervene to fix it. There’s something very fulfilling about seeing a tangible result from your efforts and knowing you’ve made a direct difference in a patient’s life. I also appreciate the intensity and focus required in the operating room. Surgery demands precision, discipline, and teamwork, which align with the kind of environment in which I thrive.
What was the certification process like for you?
Hard! VTS applications are demanding and require a significant commitment. Being accepted as a candidate is an accomplishment in itself, and completing the casework and successfully passing the exam requires even greater dedication. However, the structured guidelines and high level of detail inherent in the application process align well with technicians who work in surgery.
How has earning your VTS affected/expanded your career?
Earning my VTS has significantly expanded my career and opened the door to many new opportunities to share and apply my knowledge. In less than a year, I’ve already been invited to speak at a continuing education conference, which has allowed me to contribute to the professional development of others in the field. Additionally, I’ve developed research-based SOPs that I’ve shared with other hospitals to help improve patient care and reduce infection risks. These experiences have not only strengthened my confidence but also allowed me to make a broader impact beyond my own practice.
“The journey was a marathon, not a sprint. There were moments of doubt, days when the finish line felt impossibly far away. But pushing through those challenges became part of the transformation.”
What is your favorite part about being specialized in surgery?
Veterinary medicine is a hard field to stay in. Many of us become victims of burnout and fatigue. One of my favorite parts about surgery is that more of my days feel like wins. Being able to fix a fracture, or give a patient even six more months with their family, helps me remember we give both the patients and their families better lives. Those wins keep me coming back to work every day and allow me to have a healthy work-life balance.
What kind of skills and/or personality do you feel you need to earn a VTS (Surgery) and then excel with it?
Persistence above all. However, being a detail-oriented person will also serve you well.
What advice would you give to an RVT interested in pursuing a VTS?
Find a great mentor, reach out to them, and ask for resources, input, and assistance. Having someone who believes in you and is invested makes a world of difference.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Imposter syndrome is all too common among technicians in the veterinary field, but it doesn’t have to define us. I pursued my VTS for many reasons, and one of the most powerful was the desire to feel that I truly belonged, and that I had earned my place among the brilliant, dedicated professionals I admired. I told myself that if I could just reach that milestone, I would finally know my worth.
The journey was a marathon, not a sprint. There were moments of doubt, days when the finish line felt impossibly far away. But pushing through those challenges became part of the transformation.
Standing on the other side now, I can say with complete certainty: it was worth every ounce of effort and every setback, which in turn produced every triumph. Through this journey, I’ve had the privilege of working with incredible people. But perhaps most importantly, I’ve come to recognize something I once struggled to see: I am one of them.
Are you a California veterinary technician who has earned a VTS and would like to be featured in our magazine? Contact the CVMA’s Taryn DeOilers at tdeoilers@cvma.net.
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