Alberta's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 74
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ALBERTA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2025)
Opportunities are as attractive as pets at VCA Canada
D
ara McQueen grew
up in a home without
pets – a sibling was
allergic to animals –
which inspired her to
dream of a career as a veterinarian. She realized her goal when
she earned a doctor of veterinary
medicine degree in May 2023 and
promptly landed a position as an
associate veterinarian at a VCA
Canada clinic in Calgary.
“Growing up, I always wanted
to be around animals,” says
McQueen. “That passion drove
me and made me want to have a
career in veterinary medicine.”
Having achieved that goal, she
has discovered something else
about her desired profession.
“The scope of possibilities for
a veterinarian is massive,” says
McQueen. “There are so many
different opportunities that you
can pursue.”
That applies to more than just
DVMs – or doctors of veterinary
medicine. “Our range of practices
across the country provides all
our associates, not just veterinarians, with broad opportunities
for career development and
career pathing,” says Cathy
Gaviller, general manager of
VCA Canada.
VCA Canada clinics employ
a range of professionals beyond
doctors. These include technicians, or veterinary nurses, technician assistants and client care
associates who provide a number
of services for clients and their
pets. No matter where someone
starts, there are opportunities for
advancement.
“We have associates who have
started in entry-level roles such
as kennel attendants, technician
assistants or client service representatives and we have supported
them to go to school to become
animal health technologists,” says
Gaviller.
One of the company’s medical
oncologists at a specialty clinic
began her career as a receptionist
when she was in high school, says
Gaviller. She worked for VCA
Canada while she was a veterinary
student, then did a one-year postgrad internship at a specialty hospital, and the company supported
her during a three-year oncology
residency.
Our range of practices
across the country
provides all our associates,
not just veterinarians, with
broad opportunities for
career development and
career pathing.
— Cathy Gaviller
General Manager
of VCA Canada
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VCA Canada employs a range of professionals beyond just veterinarians, including registered veterinary
technicians, veterinary assistants and client care representatives.
McQueen began her journey
in the profession when she was a
high-school student. “I started as a
cleaner at a general practice VCA
Canada clinic,” says McQueen. “In
the summer months, when I was
at University of Calgary, I worked
as a technician assistant at an
emergency hospital.”
VCA Canada also provides
opportunities for associates to
move geographically if circumstances dictate. The Calgary-based
company operates over 150
hospitals in six provinces, from
British Columbia to Nova Scotia.
“If an associate comes to us and
says their partner has to relocate
