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In 1972 the AVMA House of Delegates (HOD) authorized a program of accreditation of training for animal technicians and assigned the responsibility for the program to the Council on Education. At the same time, the HOD authorized the Executive Board to appoint a Committee on Accreditation of Training for Animal Technicians (CATAT) to function under the guidance of the Council on Education to carry out all duties associated with implementation and continuation of this program. The Board made the initial appointments in1972. In 1974 the charge to the Committee was extended to include all matters pertaining to animal technicians and its title was changed to the Committee on Animal Technician Activities and Training. In 1989 the HOD approved a change in nomenclature substituting the title veterinary technician for animal technician. In 1990 the AVMA Executive Board approved the name change to the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).
The intent of the CVTEA is stated in its mission statement developed in 2001: to shape the future of veterinary medicine by promoting veterinary technology and the veterinary professional team through education, quality, integrity, service, leadership, and collegiality.
CVTEA accreditation of educational programs serves to inform the public of those institutions providing quality education for veterinary technicians and to benefit graduates by providing a measure of recognition and enhancing their prospects of employment mobility.
Objectives
- To accredit veterinary technology programs.
- To assist in the development and improvement of veterinary technology programs.
- To study all matters pertaining to the activities of veterinary technicians and to advise the AVMA Executive Board on implementation of AVMA policy concerning such matters.
Membership
The Committee consists of 19 members. The membership includes ten veterinarians-one each from the following categories: AVMA Council on Education, state boards of veterinary medical examiners, private large animal practice, private small animal practice, laboratory animal medicine, regulatory veterinary medicine, industrial veterinary medicine, faculties of colleges of veterinary medicine, educators of veterinary technicians, and at-large. In addition, the Committee includes six veterinary technicians (two of whom must be non-program affiliated, and one who must be an educator in a veterinary technology program), a Canadian member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) Animal Health Technologist/Veterinary Technician Program Accreditation Committee (AHTVTPAC) who may be either a veterinarian or a veterinary technician, and two public members who must be engaged in activity other than veterinary medicine or employment as a veterinary technician. All US technician members must be members in good standing of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. Canadian veterinary technician members must be members of the Canadian Association of Animal Health Technicians and Technologists, and Canadian veterinarian members must be members of the CVMA.
Appointment and Tenure
The AVMA Executive Board appoints fifteen members; the AVMA Council on Education appoints one member from its membership. Public members are appointed by the Committee when a vacancy exists. Canadian members are appointed by the AHTVTPAC. Members serve six-year terms, beginning at the close of the AVMA annual meeting. The COE representative is appointed by the chair of the COE to serve as a voting member for a one-year renewable term. A member shall represent only one area in the context of appointment to the Committee. A member whose area of activity changes during the term of office may complete the term for which he/she was appointed. No member shall serve more than one term. For this purpose, a period less than three years shall not be considered a term.
Meetings
Meetings are held twice each year in Schaumburg, Illinois.
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= AVMA/SAVMA Members Only
