Credentialed technicians now have three more specialization options, as recently announced by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America.
Specialties from these organizations have been recognized:
- Neurology subspecialty of the Academy of Internal Medicine Veterinary Technicians
- Academy of Veterinary Zoological Medicine Technicians
- Academy of Equine Veterinary Nursing Technicians
Amy Butzier, chair of the NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties, said the NAVTA academies give veterinary technicians recognition for having advanced education, training, and experience in an area of specialization.
The CVTS was formed in 1994 and provides guidelines to veterinary technician organizations to facilitate the formation of a specialty. Academies develop advanced pathways a candidate must follow and complete to be awarded the designation of "veterinary technician specialist," or VTS, in their discipline.
Existing technician specialties are dentistry, anesthesia, internal medicine, emergency and critical care, and behavior. Subspecialties have been established in small animal medicine, large animal medicine, cardiology, and oncology.
Veterinary technician educators like Dana Call, VTS (ECC), say they have heard more of their students expressing interest in specialization. Call is the incoming president of the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators and an instructor in the veterinary technology program at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City.
"As specialty options expand to cover more disciplines of veterinary medicine, students are excited about building their careers as they plan to enter the workforce after graduation," Call said. "I find our program graduates seeking more information as well."
To help prepare students, Call and her colleagues try to mentor and share as much information about specialty options as possible.
"This gives them food for thought at the very least, and possibly a career path that they otherwise may not have pursued," she said.
Call, who herself has specialized in emergency and critical care, said as veterinary technology advances, she sees technician specialty certification as critical to the future of the profession.
For more information about NAVTA and the veterinary technician specialties, visit www.navta.net. |