Tiffany Cheung

Tiffany Cheung

Registered Veterinary Technician

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Vancouver?
I was born in Hong Kong and moved to Vancouver when I was young.

Why did you choose to become an RVT/VA/CSR?
“I’m going to be an animal doctor!” – 5-year-old me.
Working with animals is just something my parents and I knew I would end up doing. I grew up petting every cat or dog on the street, even a raccoon once at Stanley Park (followed by some scolding by my poor parents) and I would pretend to be Dr Dolittle while having secret conversations with my family dog. The love I have for animals stayed with me as I grew older, and I can’t think of a better career dedicated to helping animals than veterinary medicine. Becoming a Veterinary Technician felt like the right step to help pursue my next career goal as a Veterinarian.

What do you love most about being an RVT/VA/CSR?
There is so much to love about being a RVT! The enthusiastic tail wags when patients are discharged and see their owners, the special connection you form with each and every patient, the change you see in patients that are starting to feel better and the continuous learning of ever-changing medicine are just the beginning of a very long list.

What advice would you give someone entering emergency veterinary medicine as an RVT/VA/CSR? And what skills are most important?
An important advice I had gotten myself when entering veterinary ER is to not only feel compassion for your patients but for yourself as well. There will be hard days and extremely hard days, and it is so easy to let yourself get caught up in it all. Remember to do what you love in your free time and surround yourself with an understanding and supportive team like I have here at Mountainside:)
Skills I found most important while working in ER were time management, communication, teamwork and ability to keep calm under pressure.

Tell us about a special animal memory.
When I first started volunteering at my local veterinary clinic in high school, a senior toy poodle named Dusty was dropped off for euthanasia. Instead of sitting in a kennel waiting, I remember taking her for her last walk, giving her last meal along with all you can eat treats and how much trust and bond we formed in a matter of just an hour. Saying goodbye to her broke my heart and left a lasting impression on me, making me more certain helping animals is what I want to do.