Blinn alumna turns passion into a rewarding career through the Veterinary Technology Program
Mindy Borst earns Director's Excellence Award at Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
February 25, 2019
Mindy Borst's passion for animals runs deep.
The Blinn College District Veterinary Technology Program graduate discovered early in her veterinary education that she had a passion for helping animals and their owners get much-needed answers through diagnostics – a unique path for a licensed veterinary technician (LVT).
The Van Alstyne native utilized the skills and knowledge acquired through the Veterinary Technology Program to excel as a Laboratory Supervisor with the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in College Station.
“There is an entire diagnostic laboratory side of the veterinary profession that often is overlooked,” Borst said. “The Blinn Veterinary Technology Program was very technically focused, which was exactly what I was looking for to prepare me for this type of career. This experience has been so rewarding and every day I go to work and know this is where I am meant to be.”
Borst made her debut at TVMDL in 2009 as a student worker in the Serology Department. After deciding that the pre-veterinary medicine bachelor’s degree track was not the right fit, Borst enrolled in Blinn’s Veterinary Technology Program and earned her Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Veterinary Technology in 2013.
Blinn’s Veterinary Technology Program is one of just nine accredited programs in the state that offers veterinary technology training. The College District’s partnership with Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences – not affiliated with TVMDL – allows Blinn students to receive hands-on training in every aspect of the wide-ranging field.
After earning their Associate of Applied Science, program graduates are eligible to take their state and national exams to become fully-credentialed LVTs, with an average starting salary of $31,000. While most LVTs work in private practices, graduates also find employment with animal shelters, stables, reproductive facilities, zoos, wildlife facilities, pharmaceutical sales, the military, and homeland security.
“I was excited to get into the workforce and begin my career,” Borst said. “Blinn’s Veterinary Technology Program was amazing, and it basically started my entire journey up to this point in my life.”
In 2016, Borst transferred to the Clinical Pathology Department at TVMDL and has been instrumental in expanding the laboratory’s diagnostic testing abilities to include parasitology. Her dedication to this project, presentation of case studies, and co-authoring two peer-reviewed parasitology manuscripts earned her the 2018 TVMDL Director’s Excellence Award.
“It was a true pleasure to have had Mindy as a student, and I have been fortunate to have maintained contact with Mindy post-graduation,” said Melanie Landis, former Blinn Veterinary Technology Program Director and Microbiology Veterinary Diagnostician at TVMDL. “Having excelled in the parasitology course as a Blinn student, Mindy took the initiative to apply those skills at TVMDL. She is highly dedicated, motivated, and has an exceptional work ethic.”
Borst returned to Texas A&M to earn her bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries sciences in 2016 while simultaneously teaching clinical pathology and parasitology courses in Blinn’s Veterinary Technology Program. Working alongside future LVTs allowed Borst to share first-hand knowledge and advice regarding career opportunities beyond the clinic.
“LVTs are such a great resource to implement in diagnostic laboratories,” Borst said. “I try to encourage veterinary technology students to tour the facilities and learn more about the different opportunities available to them.”
Blinn’s Veterinary Technology Program will accept applications for the Fall 2019 cohort April 1 through May 17. For more information about Blinn’s Veterinary Technology Program, visit www.blinn.edu/veterinary-technology.
