Brittany Hernandez Prepares for a Future Caring for Animals

Brittany Hernandez was just 10 years old when she began helping care for the feral cats around her neighborhood. Now, she will graduate from Cape Fear Community College’s Veterinary Medical Technology program at the end of this month and is preparing to begin her career as a Registered Veterinary Technician.

“I am the first college graduate of my household,” Hernandez said. “It’s something I’m really proud of.”

Caring for animals from an early age

Hernandez’s first experiences caring for animals came from the stray cats she helped look after.

“There were feral cat colonies around the neighborhood where I grew up. A woman would come by to feed them, vaccinate them, and have them spayed or neutered. I started helping feed them, and that’s really where my love for cats began.”

When Hernandez entered the Veterinary Medical Technology program in 2024, she had never worked in a clinical setting.

“I didn’t have any experience with the medical side of animal care,” she said. “I’d never worked with needles or anything like that, so I didn’t know how I’d feel. It was all completely new, but I wanted to do it. I just had to build the confidence and develop those skills.”

One of the biggest surprises, Hernandez said, was discovering just how much veterinary technicians do.

“I didn’t realize how involved vet techs are,” she said. “We’re there from the moment an animal comes into the clinic until they leave. We help throughout the entire process. There’s so much more to the job than I expected.”

Seeing veterinary medicine from different perspectives

Throughout the program, Hernandez completed clinical rotations at Capeside Animal Hospital and Eastern Carolina Veterinary Referral. She is currently wrapping up an externship at Wrightsville Beach Animal Hospital.

“Being able to experience different environments was really informative,” she said. “At the emergency clinic, everything moves quickly, and the cases are more urgent. In general practice, you have more time to learn and work through each case.”

As graduation approaches, Hernandez says she feels prepared for what’s next, thanks to CFCC’s faculty and the program’s emphasis on real-world experience.

“They really prepare you for everything,” she said. “They make sure we’re ready for the state and national exams, they help us get internships, and they prepare us for the job before we even graduate. We’re already doing this work in the real world.”

Hernandez hopes to begin her career in general practice, where she can continue building her clinical and surgical skills before eventually specializing in feline medicine.

“I want to keep growing as a veterinary technician,” Hernandez said. “Eventually, I’d love to focus on feline medicine and help as many cats as I can.”

Learn more about CFCC’s Veterinary Medical Technology program.