If there鈥檚 one thing Ben Sigel loves more than animals, it鈥檚 teaching others how to provide them with compassionate, quality care. 聽 For nearly six years, Ben has been an instructor in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Veterinary Technology program at the Pleasant Hill campus, teaching, mentoring, and encouraging hundreds of students to follow in his footsteps and become Registered Veterinary Technicians.
鈥淚鈥檓 passionate about what I do, and I think students pick up on that energy,鈥� says Ben. 鈥淚 love working with people who have curious, open minds, and I鈥檓 a big believer in creating a space where learning is stimulating and fun.鈥�
Ben first heard about the Carrington鈥檚 Veterinary Technology program years before he ever set foot on campus. 聽 鈥淲hen I was working at a veterinary hospital in Oakland, several Carrington students completed their last-semester externships at our practice,鈥� Ben recalls. 鈥淚 was impressed by their knowledge and level of commitment, and I really enjoyed helping them translate what they鈥檇 learned in class into a real-life setting. So back in 2015, when I heard a teaching position was opening at Carrington鈥檚 Pleasant Hill campus, I decided to apply. It鈥檚 turned out to be the best career move I could have made.鈥� 聽 While Ben enjoys his reputation as one of the 鈥渃ool, chill鈥� instructors, he says he鈥檚 no pushover. In fact, he says, his standards are high and his expectations are great.
鈥淲hile I like to think of myself as open and encouraging, I expect students to stay focused, do the work, and always do their best,鈥� he says. 鈥淓xcellence is a habit, and the earlier that habit is developed, the better. When you鈥檙e out in the real world assisting in a surgery, for example, anything less is unacceptable.鈥�
Ben, 40, remembers what it鈥檚 like to launch a career in the veterinary field. While working at a skateboard and surf shop in 2004, he completed his AA degree at Diablo Valley College. A year later, he earned his Veterinary Assistant certificate. He worked as a pet nurse at a Dublin pet hospital, a dog groomer at a San Ramon pet shop, and as a kennel assistant, front desk receptionist, and veterinary assistant at an Oakland animal hospital. 聽 In 2010, he completed his AS in Veterinary Technology and became a Registered Veterinary Technician. He worked as an RVT at an urgent care facility, a canine rehabilitation center, and at several veterinary hospitals. Over the years, Ben has also volunteered to treat and transport raccoons, opossums, hawks, squirrels and other animals to a wildlife hospital, which further rehabilitated and then released them back into nature. He also spent a Thanksgiving providing care to pets who were displaced or separated from their families during the Butte Camp Fire in Chico.
鈥淚 think one of the reasons students like my classes is that they know I鈥檓 teaching something I鈥檝e lived, something I really care about,鈥� Ben says. 鈥淚鈥檝e drawn blood, given injections, placed catheters, and vaccinated and microchipped hundreds of dogs and cats. I鈥檝e shot x-rays, filled prescriptions, performed ultrasound and other diagnostic procedures, and assisted in life-saving surgeries. I鈥檝e also comforted patients who have had to say goodbye to family pets they鈥檝e loved for years. Helping students prepare to do the same things is something I鈥檓 grateful I get to do.鈥�
Learning鈥攁nd teaching鈥攄uring the pandemic has been uniquely challenging, but Ben says he thinks he, his program, and his students have adapted well. 聽 鈥淚 never thought I鈥檇 be teaching from my kitchen table, but life is full of surprises,鈥� says Ben. 鈥淚鈥檝e been doing my lectures remotely for 10 months now. We do required labs on campus, with all necessary protocols and precautions in place. In some ways, I think adapting has been easier for teachers and students in our program than it might have been for some others because taking preventive safety precautions and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) are normal operating procedure in our field.鈥� 聽 The structure of the Vet Tech program on the Pleasant Hill campus鈥攊n which a cohort or class has the same instructor for all five 16-week terms of their program鈥攃reates a continuity that Ben says both he and his students value.
鈥淪tudents seem to love the continuity of having one instructor for the entire program, rather than having to adjust to a different teaching style every few months,鈥� says Ben. 鈥淚 like it, too. It gives me a chance to develop a rapport with students that I think makes the learning experience more productive.鈥�
Ben says it also provides the opportunity to see students evolve as they progress through the program. 聽 鈥淚 love seeing students develop their analytical abilities and practical skills as they progress through the program,鈥� says Ben. 鈥淎t the beginning, most students are understandably hesitant and timid, especially when it comes to surgery and things like injections and blood draws. But then they grow so much during the five terms of the program. I take a lot of pride in seeing them develop into capable, confident professionals who are prepared to go out into the world and provide the kind of quality care every animal deserves.鈥�
