Changes in veterinary medicine must be embraced and accepted as the average patient these days in not an outdoor farm dog, and the average client expects a level of care different than that of 20 years ago. Although I know our veterinary assistants are long-term and extremely skilled, I realize that when a client entrusts their animal to our care for a procedure involving anesthesia, there is an expectation in "standard of care" that has evolved and with which we must progress as a profession. The differentiation of assistant vs trained veterinary technician is important not only as a point of progress of our kindred professions, but as a standard of care provided as expectations and pet care evolve in our society as a whole.