Committee on Advancing Veterinary Technicians and Technologists

Charge/Objective

The purpose of the committee is to advise the Board of Directors on matters of importance to the veterinary technology profession.

  • Conduct environmental scanning to enable:
    • Recommendations to help support and advance the veterinary technology profession
    • Recommendations to develop resources to maximize the opportunity for veterinary technicians to fully utilize their skills and education in all aspects of veterinary practice
  • Work cooperatively with the AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities® (AVMA CVTEA®)

Membership, method of appointment, and representation

The committee consists of the following 13 voting members appointed by the Board of Directors. Except for the chair, all members serve staggered, three-year, once-renewable terms. In keeping with AVMA policy, members who are veterinary technicians must be a member in good standing in the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), and members who are veterinarians must be an AVMA voting member. All technician members must be graduates of an AVMA- or Canadian VMA-accredited veterinary technology program and be currently licensed/registered/certified.

Nominations may be sought from organizations including, but not limited to the AVMA, State Veterinary Technician Associations, NAVTA, NAVTA Certified Veterinary Technician Specialists (CVTS), and Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA).

  • CVTEA member (veterinarian or technician)—nominated by CVTEA
  • Non-specialist veterinary technician in companion animal general practice
  • Non-specialist veterinary technician not in companion animal general practice
  • Veterinary technician specialists (two, from different specialties)
  • Veterinarian in companion animal general practice with demonstrated expertise and positive experience in developing collaborative practice culture that empowers veterinary technicians to fully utilize their skills and education
  • Veterinarian not in companion animal general practice with demonstrated expertise and positive experience in developing collaborative workplace culture that empowers veterinary technicians to fully utilize their skills and education
  • At-large veterinarian
  • Representative from the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (veterinary technician)
  • Representative from National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA)
  • Representative from the American Association of Veterinary State Boards, preference given to a veterinary technician
  • Representative from Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (veterinarian or veterinary technician)
  • Chair (member of the AVMA Board of Directors)

At its first meeting, the committee will establish terms for all initial members of the committee such that term lengths are staggered appropriately, with initial terms ending at the close of the HOD Annual Sessions in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Chair

The chair will be a member of the AVMA Board of Directors, serving a two-year term and selected by the Board of Directors.

Meetings

In-person meetings will be held in accordance with AVMA policy.

Funding

Expenses for committee meetings will be funded in accordance with AVMA travel policy.

Reports

The committee will advise and report to the Board of Directors.

Life expectancy

The committee will be reviewed in compliance with AVMA governance policies.