CSU’s Alysha Ducharme named Veterinary Technician of the Year
Alysha Ducharme, technician manager for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, was named Technician of the Year by the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians.
Link copied!
It’s “been a minute” since Alysha Ducharme started working as a surgical technician at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital in 2006. As a recent graduate of the Front Range Community College Veterinary Technology program, she interned at CSU, and had worked in private practice. “I thought ‘CSU is where I want to be. That’s where the exciting things are happening,’” said Ducharme.
As luck would have it, a position in the Small Animal General Surgery service opened up, and she got her wish. “I finished my internship on a Friday afternoon and then the next Monday I came in as an employee.”
Now, with two decades of experience under her belt, Ducharme was named Technician of the Year by the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians (CACVT). The award honors a technician “who is a model of CACVT’s mission and values, while consistently exceeding expectations as an RVT. The Technician of the Year award recognizes an individual for their accomplishment and contribution to the promotion of the overall betterment of the industry.”
Ducharme has spent her entire career in the operating room as a surgical tech, but “starting my internship I was very wide-eyed and completely enamored by multiple departments, but surgery was the rotation I thoroughly enjoyed. I thought ‘look at these cool things that they’re doing every single day.’”
“I solemnly dedicate myself to aiding animals and society by providing excellent care and services for animals, by alleviating animal suffering, and by promoting public health. I accept my obligations to practice my profession conscientiously and with sensitivity, adhering to the profession’s Code of Ethics, and furthering my knowledge and competence through a commitment to lifelong learning.”
Veterinary Technician’s Oath
Every single day since then, Ducharme has brought enthusiasm for learning to her job.
“I love being in an environment where I get to learn new things all the time. Not only am I learning and growing my own skills, but I’m surrounded by people that are constantly paving the way to the next great thing,” she said. “I love expanding my knowledge in an array of subjects, so surgery and an academic environment definitely appealed to me.”
In her two decades at CSU, she has seen students and surgical residents grow in careers that often come full circle, back to the hospital.
“I just love this journey where I have interns and residents that I love so much and they get to come back as faculty,” she said. “We get to work with them and have a relationship with them on a different level. I get to grow alongside these people, which I really love.”
In 2024, Ducharme moved into a new position for her, and for the hospital, as technician manager, a role she shares with Cherie Ouellet, overseeing technicians for 13 services.
“I have so enjoyed being able to immerse myself throughout the hospital,” said Ducharme, who is returning to her early days of being “enamored by multiple services.” Part of CSU’s Veterinary Health System, the hospital offers 28 specialty services and sees more than 42,000 patients a year.
“It felt like the right timing not only for me, to take the next step, and to let other people in the OR step into a role where they can develop themselves professionally, let them take the reins” she said.
Registered veterinary technician
As defined by the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians (CACVT), “a veterinary technician is a veterinary professional that applies their medical knowledge and clinical skills to provide routine, emergency, and specialized care for a variety of animals, all while under the direction and supervision of a veterinarian.” The CACVT is the Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine’s approved veterinary technician credentialing entity.
“Compassionate, skilled, and deeply dedicated”
Looking ahead, Ducharme sees “an endless amount of possibilities with the Primary Care Clinic opening (in 2026). I’d love to provide more education to whoever we can, expanding our role with other technician students from Front Range and Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology. Being a resource for others in the community, we are very well-positioned to help our other techs in the area.”
She wants to honor and continue to elevate the role of the technician in the eyes of colleagues and the public.
“I think the hospital community is incredibly appreciative of our technicians. Faculty and leadership work closely with them and truly recognize not just their technical expertise, but the exceptional care they provide to our patients. There’s a deep understanding that without technicians, the hospital simply wouldn’t function. These people are here because they care. They’re compassionate, skilled, and deeply dedicated to what they do,” Ducharme said.
“I would say to my fellow technicians, I am in awe of what they do every day. It does not go unnoticed and it matters.”
Veterinary technician specialist
A veterinary technician specialist has advanced certification from a specialty academy (similar to board certification for veterinarians), based on their advanced knowledge and skills in one of 16 focus areas.
“We have quite a few veterinary technician specialists in hospital right now, and another five that will accomplish that goal in the next year, which is huge,” Ducharme said. “I’d love for the public to understand our registered veterinary technicians are incredibly skilled, and now we’re elevating them to focus on specialties – anesthesia, critical care, etc. We are continually upping the level of care that they are providing to your pets.”
Veterinary Health System
Colorado State University’s Veterinary Health System is a community of veterinary professionals dedicated to providing exceptional service with passion and purpose. Our experts are animal and public health leaders working together to apply their diverse skills in veterinary care, diagnostics, and education. As a partner of CSU’s top-ranked academic veterinary program, the clinical team works with researchers and educators to advance the future of veterinary medicine.