DAY 1

Core Dialogue Skills

We start the entire experience diving into the core dialogue skills and their application to managing appointments with clients. This is the foundation that all conversations are based upon.

• Introduction of 6 core dialogue skills.

• Practical applications to build skills within a wellness appointment.

• Introduction of strategies to structuring an appointment and building a communication model.

DAY 2

Vaccines, Wellness and Records

Review of the content around common vaccines, dewormers and wellness appointment structure. Introduction of an assessment physical exam and associated medical records.

• Review of Day 1.

• Common vaccines & deworming protocols for dogs & cats and what clients most often ask about.

• Components of an assessment physical examination and the difference between a DVM led exam and an RVT led examination.

• Review of medical record requirements.

DAY 3

Nutrition, Cooperative Care, Wellness Testing

Outlining the components of an accurate history and recommendations for lifestyle nutrition and base requirements for dogs and cats. Establishing and creating protocols for cooperative care to curate a positive experience for dogs and cats (and their owners) during their appointment.

• Review of Day 2.

• How to discuss nutritional requirements with clients and make recommendations for appropriate lifestyle feeding.

• Review of cooperative care practices based on low stress handling principles and techniques.

• ** Special dinner presentation to discuss diagnostic wellness testing for dogs and cats. Complimentary dinner! **

DAY 4

Simulations & Practice

This is where attendees get to practice what they have learned, get in the moment dialogue coaching, practice an appointment with a simulated client and give & receive peer coaching. This is the highest level of communication learning.

• Review of Day 3.

• Completion of 1 simulated appointment.

• Observe and give coaching in five other simulations.

• Practice the skills.

DAY 5

Business & Finances

The final day and the summary of our learning. Introduction to the business side of veterinary medicine and the positive financial impact of Mobilized RVTs and Integration Services offered by BSCS. Review of the legislation and being part of a self regulated profession as an RVT.

• Review of Day 4.

• Introduction to the financial impact of Mobilizing RVTs.

• Review and overview of current legislation regarding RVTs seeing appointments.

• Introduction to Integration Services offered by BS Communication Strategies.

• Wrap up and continued learning.

Becky Taylor, RVT, MA

Becky Taylor has been dedicated to her career as a Registered Veterinary Technologist for over 25 years. In that time, she has worked in mixed animal practice, in education, and in corporate veterinary medicine. She has participated in hundreds of CE opportunities, sat on many national and provincial boards and considers herself a lifelong learner. A pinnacle of this learning was in 2016, when Becky completed a Master of Arts in Professional Communication through Royal Roads University. Her final project was authoring a paper on the role of RVTs with clients and resulted in the creation of a communication model for RVTs.

Becky shares her life with husband, Colin, and their 2 children, Nick and Maddy as well as many fur friends. Her passion outside of family and work is her horses and she can be found spending lots of her free time developing her skills in horsemanship as well as being with her herd of 4! She has recently partnered with a friend to create another cool side biz, The Horsewoman’s Club.

Robin Saar RVT, VTS (Nutrition)

Robin graduated from the now TRU University, and completed the Veterinary Technician National Exam in 1996. Robin’s professional experience includes working in small and mixed animal practices as an RVT and Practice Manager, along with managing a large canine, feline, and equine boarding facility.

She successfully completed her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Nutrition (June 2019), and a certificate in both Small Business Human Resources, and Small Business Management . Her current role as the National Nutrition Ambassador at Vetstrategy is a one of a kind role for an RVT. She looks forward to sharing her passions as an RVT with others. “Nutrition is a part of every pet, every day”.

Phil Buote, DVM

Dr. Phil Buote is a registered veterinarian and is the Deputy Registrar and Complaints Director with the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA). The ABVMA is the regulatory body for veterinary medicine in Alberta and the association for veterinarians and veterinary technologists.

Phil grew up in rural Prince Edward Island, completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Prince Edward Island and graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 1995. Phil completed a rotating internship in large animal medicine and surgery at Washington State University in 1996.

Phil was in clinical practice as a mixed animal veterinarian in rural Alberta initially in the Grande Prairie region, then moved to Sherwood Park to work in an exclusively equine practice and eventually moved to Cochrane where he owned and operated the Cochrane Animal Clinic until 2010.

Phil volunteered on the Food Animal Advisory Committee, was a Member of Council from 2004 – 2007 and a Member of the Complaint Review Committee before starting full time employment with the ABVMA in 2010

Jessica Benoit RVT, VTS (Behaviour), KPA CTP, CPDT-KA

Jessica, a 2010 NAIT Animal Health Technology graduate, is a Registered Veterinary Technologist and co-owner of Companion Veterinary Clinic, a Fear Free Certified Practice in Alberta. She is a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Behaviour, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner. Jessica was named ABVMA Veterinary Technologist of the Year in 2020.

She developed the clinic's training and behaviour program, focusing on cooperative care to ease pets during exams. Jessica also lectures, conducts workshops, and contributes to veterinary literature. She enjoys the outdoors with her family and pets.

Dr. Kelsey Shacker

Dr. Kelsey Shacker is a UCVM graduate and practiced in mixed animal medicine before transitioning to a teaching role at Olds College in the Animal Health Technology Program (AHT) in 2016. In the AHT Program, she teaches large animal nursing, hospital management of small animals, surgery and communication skills for veterinary teams. When not teaching, Dr. Kelsey is active in practice seeing clinical cases, performing animal chiropractors, and mentoring students (DVM or RVTs). She is also a sessional Professional Skills Coach with the University of Calgary, Veterinary Program.

When she is asked "where are you, or what are you doing" a normal answer is, "I'm not home right now” or "I'm gone horseback riding, paddling, cross country skiing, or camping" (season dependent). Though if you find one of her horses, usually she is not too far away; Dr. Kelsey is an aviad horsewoman, which isn't season dependent!