To say Christen Puckett-Smith, RVT, is an overachiever is an understatement. In addition to working full time at Ada Veterinary Clinic in Ada, Oklahoma, the veterinary nurse teaches an online veterinary assistant course at Murray State College, is working toward her veterinary technician specialty in clinical practice (canine/feline) and is the Southwest Veterinary Symposium’s interactive co-lab manager. In addition, every three weeks, she assists Dedicated Oklahoma Animal Volunteers, a spay-neuter program serving low-income clients.
EDITOR’S NOTE
This article is the third in a series on veterinary nurse empowerment and the people accomplishing great things in the field.
Interestingly, Puckett-Smith didn’t start in veterinary medicine. Instead, she graduated in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations and then worked as a disc jockey and photographer. Though she loves media, she soon felt unfulfilled and woke up one day thinking, “I’ve always wanted to work with animals.”
“I Googled veterinary schools, and then I found out what a vet tech was,” she said. “There was a program an hour away from my house.”
She enrolled at Murray State College, pivoted from media to veterinary medicine and never looked back.
Changing Course
After graduating with an associate degree in veterinary technology, Puckett-Smith got a job teaching at Murray State College, oversaw her team’s social media pages and was the program’s official photographer. She also worked one day a week at the nearby Ada Veterinary Clinic to keep up her skill set.
Then, after 11 years of teaching, she again listened to her heart and went to work full time at Ada Veterinary Clinic and pursued her VTS.
“It was time for a change,” she said. “I had been at Ada Vet for two years and just fell in love with it. I was like, ‘This is what I really want to do.’”
Puckett-Smith counsels students to find their “unicorn clinic,” a special place where they enjoy working and fully utilize their skills. She got lucky that her unicorn clinic, Ada, was the first one she tried.
“Here, it’s a team approach to every case,” she said. “You’re not just somebody to restrain dogs. You’re there from the first CBC drawn to the end of the case.”
At Ada, each technician owns something that will build their skill set and empower them.
“One loves performing dentals and radiographs,” she said. “Another enjoys physical therapy, so she handles most of the laser therapy cases.”
When Ada acquired a new endoscope, one of the doctors asked Puckett-Smith to be the technician in charge of cleaning and maintaining it.
“Of course, I leaped on the idea because I had no experience with it and wanted to build my skill set,” she said. “It’s just so endearing here to know we are used. We’re a great team.”
Making a Difference
It’s hard to believe that she has any free time left, but she is heavily involved with the board of the Oklahoma Veterinary Technician Association and is the District 9 representative for the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America.
Becoming involved in organized veterinary medicine was ingrained in Puckett-Smith at Murray State College by her mentor, Debbie Reed.
In 2019, she became the NAVTA representative for Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Utah.
“The district representative acts as a liaison to answer questions that a state might have,” she said. “I truly love getting involved at the national level and being that person somebody can reach out to.”
In the clinic, Puckett-Smith enjoys client communication, something she didn’t get to do when working in academia.
“I love knowing the patient’s name, seeing progress and seeing them get better, especially being a part of a really hard case and then seeing a good outcome,” she said. “Even if it’s a bad outcome, I like being there with the client.”
She has a special touch in euthanasia cases.
“All of our hearts are really soft, but mine seems to be a hundred times softer, and I’m good at those situations,” she said. “For some people, it’s awkward, but for me, it’s not. Loss — human loss — has been a big part of my life, so the empathy just kind of carries over. I continue to talk to the patient even after it’s euthanized and, of course, tell the client, ‘I’m so sorry for your loss’ or give them a mild touch. I enjoy that process.”
MEET CHRISTEN PUCKETT-SMITH
- Age: 40
- Home: Ada, Oklahoma
- Credentials: Registered veterinary technician, Fear-Free Certified, Low-Stress Handling Certified
- Years active: 12
- Pets: Nine dogs, five Nigerian dwarf goats, four alpacas, three cats and one hedgehog
RANCH LIFE
It’s hard to believe that Christen Puckett-Smith has any additional free time, but she also operates and maintains BMK Acre, a small alpaca and goat ranch that offers community outreach and education.
“BMK is my sanctuary,” she said. “I make time for it because you have to make time for yourself.”
BMK Acre was born from tragedy, but it is a place of hope and joy for Puckett-Smith, her husband, Ragan, and everyone who visits. In 2015, she lost one of her best friends, Kristen Kelley Baun, who was nine months pregnant.
“Kristen and I had always joked about having alpacas and a farm and rescuing animals that never got adopted,” Puckett-Smith said. “So I asked myself, ‘What would she want me to do?’ and I thought, ‘Of course, I’m going to get alpacas!’”
Puckett-Smith was mentored under Magnolia Blossom Ranch in Newcastle, Oklahoma, which has a huge alpaca farm, and when she felt ready, she and Ragan began building BMK Acre.
At BMK, which stands for “Be more Kristen,” guests learn all about alpacas and can halter, lead and take selfies with the camelids.
“It’s truly a magical place,” she said. “You come out and visit alpacas and goats and feed them. Some people want us to come to birthday parties, and we’ll do that. Education about animals is very important to me as an owner and an Alpacas of Oklahoma association member. My downtime is BMK. It’s my joy.”