“At career fairs, when I ask an approaching student about their career interests and they say ‘nursing,’ I’ll ask, ‘human or animal?’” says Sarah Machniak, LVT (’15), and coordinator of community outreach and student enrichment for MSU’s Veterinary Nursing Program. “That strikes up a conversation, and I get to explain that veterinary nursing is an option.”
Machniak (lovingly known as ‘Sarah Mac’ by students) is an alumna of the MSU Veterinary Nursing Program and worked in practices for seven years as a veterinary nurse until she was recruited into her current position at the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2022.
Now, she travels around Michigan telling students of all ages about veterinary nursing as well as educating Veterinary Nursing students at the College on how to prioritize their wellbeing in their careers.
“Face-to-face connection is really helping in the post-pandemic world of screen fatigue. The only requirement I have for visiting a school, summer camp, or extracurricular program is that they like animals.”
Machniak’s journey into the veterinary field informs her work to its core.
“I’ve always loved animals, but like many of us, I thought the only way to work with animals was to be a DVM. So, I would shadow vets as a high schooler—that’s when I noticed I didn’t love surgery. I also knew I didn’t want to own a practice. I really struggled to remain interested in the higher science pre-veterinary studies, and I began to realize I wasn’t on the right path.”
That’s when Machniak was clued in to the MSU Veterinary Nursing Program (at the time still known as the Veterinary Technology Program).
“I graduated with a zoology degree and immediately applied to Veterinary Nursing. I got into graduate programs for research, but as soon as I got the acceptance to Veterinary Nursing, I knew that was where I wanted to be.”
Machniak’s Chihuahua, Franklin, used to be her companion and animal educator on these trips, but now that the Veterinary Nursing Program has a tortoise named Rosie, she has become the new ambassador of the program.
After working in practices, Machniak sees her outreach and student enrichment work as an extension of the veterinary field.
Outreach gives Machniak a broad view of how outsiders see (or don’t see) veterinary nursing.
“The number of responsibilities and amount of knowledge veterinary nurses have really shocks people during my outreach presentations. One example is when I discuss blood draws, I’ll explain veterinary nurses wouldn’t draw blood in the same spot in a dog as you would on a snake, a horse, or a cow. You learn the anatomy for all of them, so you know where the veins are. And that doesn’t even touch on all the different hats veterinary nurses wear in the clinic.”
In 2024, Machniak joined MSU President Guskiewicz’s Spartan Bus Tour across Michigan. The trip was an outreach effort to connect with the unique communities that make up the state. This allowed Machniak to make connections outside of veterinary medicine and schools.
“There were a lot of people from inside and outside MSU that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. We’d find something in common between us—like involvement in 4H or STEM education—and that would become a connection I could reach out to. Knowing people in areas farther from me helps spread the word about the Program!”
Part of increasing the interest in veterinary nursing is also ensuring students who start down this path want to stay once they’re in.
“When I was a practicing vet nurse, I didn’t think about the care I needed to take of myself in order to care for my patients, which probably led to injuring my back and burnout,” explains Machniak.
She doesn’t want the same happening to students.
“My job is not only to bring awareness to veterinary nursing, but also to make sure they keep their love for it. I want students to start using wellness tools while still in school, so when they graduate, they’re already able to set boundaries and advocate for themselves.”
Machniak’s passion for veterinary nursing and the students who pursue it is clear in every part of her work. Even for those who don’t go down a veterinary path, she sees educating them on the role of veterinary nurses as a win.
“If the students I talk to don’t necessarily think veterinary nursing is the career for them, at least they know how the different roles operate when they visit a veterinary clinic. That makes client interactions go better and veterinary medicine a better place.”
Want to arrange a visit from Sarah Machniak? Reach out to machnisa@msu.edu!