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Clinical Certification

What is a CVT?

Chris Rizzo is a licensed veterinary technician.A CVT is a Certified Veterinary Technician. Other synonymous credentials are LVT and RVT, licensed and registered respectively. The type of credentials issued is dependent on the state of origin. In Pennsylvania veterinary technicians become certified, but in New York veterinary technicians are licensed.

Prerequisites for obtaining credentials as a veterinary technician include graduating from an AVMA*-accredited veterinary technology program, and passing the veterinary technician national exam. To maintain credentialed status, veterinary technicians are obligated to complete continuing education as determined by their state’s Board of Veterinary Medicine. In Pennsylvania technicians are expected to complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years in time for the renewal of their credentials.

 * AVMA = American Veterinary Medical Association

What is a VTS?

A VTS is a Veterinary Technician Specialist. There are about a dozen technician specialties in veterinary medicine, and they usually correlate with an area of board certification for veterinarians. Some of the more common specialties include:

  • Emergency and Critical Care
  • Anesthesia
  • Equine Veterinary Nursing
  • Large and Small Animal Internal Medicine
  • Dentistry
  • Nutrition
  • Behavior
  • Clinical practice

Prerequisites for obtaining VTS status vary by specialty, but most require at least four to five years of experience in the field, completion of advanced skills in the field, case logs, case reports, documentation of continuing education, good standing credentials, and finally an exam after acceptance of the application.

Once VTS status is granted, the credentialed technician must complete advanced continuing education including mentoring others in the field, lecturing, and publishing articles relevant to the field.

Why Is Certification Important?

If you are looking for the best health care for your animal...

You should seek certified health care providers (veterinarian, vet tech, nurse):

  • Better training, more education
  • Passed accreditation examination
  • Pursuing continuing education opportunities

Additional Resources

Want to know more about Veterinary Nursing? Check out these websites: