VMC Spotlight: Hannah Larson
Two cats laying side by side in a window perch and looking towards the camera

Position
Certified veterinary technician with the neurology services. Hannah started as a float.

Hannah Larson standing in front of a lighted Jack-O-Lantern display
Hannah at the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at the Minnesota Zoo

Joined the VMC
June 2024

Why was she interested in working at the VMC?
Hannah graduated from tech school last spring and was interested in all the services and specialities that the VMC offers. She came from a private general practice and interned at the cat-only clinic that was also general practice.

"It has been super helpful as a new technician to gain exposure to cases that were seen in my textbooks that I never got a bunch of hands-on experience with at my past workplaces or in school," Hannah says. "It also gave great insight while I studied for my VTNE."

Grew up in
Baxter, Minnesota

Current home
St. Anthony

Pets
Hannah has three domestic longhair cats that were rescues. “I adopted Theobear and Finch, who were found on the street during a winter storm, as a bonded pair,” she says. “During a rotation in school, I fell in love with Hobie, who was abandoned in an apartment, and the rescue adopted out his bonded brother.”

A white and grey cat with its front paws up on the photographer's knee
Hobie

Hobbies and interests
Hannah loves to craft. "Diamond painting is on of my favorite activities," she says. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the light of my life, so I made a diamond painting pattern of a still from my favorite Buffy episode and am currently working on that. I also love to scour eBay for Buffy collectibles."

Favorite movie genres
Hannah will watch anything, but he go-to genres are coming-of-age and thrillers.

Favorite book
If Cats Disappeared from the World, by Genki Kawamura

Hannah Larson holding a grey and white kitten and looking at it
Hannah holds a kitten at a fundraising event for the Bitty Kitty Brigade, where they did kitten yoga.

Favorite parts of her job
"Other than all of the cats, my favorite parts of my job are being able to see interesting cases, provide patient care, witness animals have an amazing response to treatments, and collaborate with an incredible team,” Hannah says. “At a teaching hospital, I also love to connect with the students to provide support during their rotation and learn with them, as this is a subject that I am
also gaining knowledge in. The neurology department has been a great source of support for me with my love of learning. I started my journey of becoming a technician with low confidence due to my past clinical experiences. The entire team has such patience and grace. They cheer me on and help me get out of my comfort zone with new tech skills. They treat and make me feel like a true technician.”

What does she do to stay positive every day?
“It is silly, but I like to drink bottles of tea that have inspirational quotes inside the caps,” Hannah says. “It is a ritual at lunch time to share the quote to the office, to which McVey will react to the quote with an ‘okay.’”

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