Hear From Berenice Lucero, Veterinary Assistant Graduate, Pima Medical Institute
On this episode of Voices of Vital Care, host Nohelani Graf sits down with Berenice Lucero, a Veterinary Assistant graduate from Pima Medical Institute, to talk about what a career in animal care really looks like. Lucero now works with the Arizona Animal Welfare League in Phoenix, where she helps run community outreach clinics that bring affordable veterinary care directly to families who need it most.
From spay and neuter voucher programs to the quiet moments that remind her why this work matters, Lucero offers an honest look at what it takes to build a career caring for animals and the people who love them. If you have ever wondered whether a veterinary assistant program could be your next step, this episode goes beyond the basics, offering a real, unfiltered look at what a veterinary assistant career actually involves, so you can walk away with a genuine sense of whether this path is right for you.
Many people picture a veterinary assistant career as time spent bottle-feeding kittens and cuddling puppies. But Lucero is quick to point out that the job depends just as much on people skills as it does on animal care. Building trust with pet owners, she says, is what actually makes it possible to help the animals in front of her.
“If you really love dogs and cats, you’re going to have to talk to the owners. The only way you can service the animals is by talking to the people.”
-Berenice Lucero, Veterinary Assistant Graduate, Pima Medical Institute
This emphasizes the reality of this field and that communication, not just compassion for animals, is what separates a good veterinary assistant from a great one. Lucero’s path into veterinary care started with her own experience losing a family pet without knowing where to turn for help, a moment that pushed her to enroll at Pima Medical Institute and eventually land at the Arizona Animal Welfare League. There, she has spent the last two and a half years building trust with pet owners across some of Phoenix’s highest surrender-rate zip codes.
One story she highlighted in this episode was when a woman showed up at one of her clinics with a dog she had found wandering the street, no tags, no owner in sight, just months after losing her daughter to cancer. She told Lucero she believed the dog had come to her for a reason, a small companion to help her keep going.
“That moment really just resonates with me because, one, it’s beautiful. And two, it really shows the impact of what an animal will do on a human’s life.”
-Berenice Lucero, Veterinary Assistant Graduate, Pima Medical Institute
It’s moments like these that remind her why she chose this path and why she keeps showing up for both the animals and the people who love them.
In this episode, you will learn:
- What a veterinary assistant’s day-to-day work looks like at a community outreach clinic and mobile unit
- Why community education, not just medical care, is central to reducing pet surrenders and shelter overcrowding
- How low-cost spay and neuter voucher programs help families access affordable veterinary care
- The emotional intelligence and communication skills veterinary assistants need to support pet owners through hard decisions
- Why hands-on clinical training can serve as a first step toward advancing into veterinary technician or veterinarian roles
- How volunteering at a local animal shelter can help you decide if a veterinary assistant career is the right fit
- The role veterinary assistants play as the first point of contact between pet owners and the veterinary care team
Who this episode is for: Anyone considering a career working with animals, from career changers to students weighing whether hands-on veterinary training is the right fit for them.
Watch Episode 14: Veterinary Assistant Career: Animal Rescue, Shelter Medicine & Community Pet Care
The opinions expressed in the podcasts are not those of Pima Medical Institute.
Beyond the Episode
Demand for veterinary assistants continues to climb as more households prioritize pet care. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects this occupation to grow 9% faster than the average over the next 10 years, with a median pay of $38,150 per year. *
As Lucero’s experience shows, the role also offers real flexibility in where that career path can go, whether that means staying hands-on in shelter and community outreach work, moving into a veterinary clinic or using it as a foundation to advance toward a veterinary technician down the line.
Ready to learn more? Learn how to apply or reach out to the Pima Medical Institute admissions team to find out if the Veterinary Assistant certificate program is the right fit for you.
*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinary-assistants-and-laboratory-animal-caretakers.htm (visited August 27, 2026).
