Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities

The AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities® (AVMA CVTEA®) accredits veterinary technology programs to ensure the quality of the educational experience and the assessment of student knowledge and skills.

Charge/Objective

  • To recognize quality veterinary technology educational programs that are capable of graduating entry-level veterinary technicians and to assist in the development and improvement of such programs
  • To study all matters pertaining to activities of veterinary technicians, and to advise the Board of Directors concerning the implementation of AVMA policy concerning such matters

Membership, method of appointment, and representation

The committee consists of 20 members. The membership includes eight veterinarians—one each from the following categories: Council on Education, clinical veterinary medicine—large animal, clinical veterinary medicine—small animal, laboratory animal medicine, faculties of colleges of veterinary medicine, educators of veterinary technicians, and two at-large.

In addition, the committee includes seven veterinary technicians (two of whom must be non-program-affiliated, one who must be an educator in a veterinary technology program). The following two categories may be either a veterinarian or a veterinary technician: representing state boards of examiners in veterinary medicine and a veterinary medicine industry representative. 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. A member should represent only one area in the context of appointment to the committee. All technician members must be graduates of an AVMA- or Canadian VMA-accredited veterinary technology program and be currently licensed/registered/certified. All U.S. technician members must be members in good standing of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). Canadian veterinary technician members must be members of the Registered Veterinary Technologists and Technicians in Canada (RVTTC), and Canadian veterinarian members must be members of the CVMA.

The AVMA CVTEA Selection Committee appoints the members of the AVMA CVTEA with the following exceptions; the Council on Education appoints one member from its membership, the committee appoints public members, and the AHTVTPAC appoints the Canadian member. 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 term.

Chair

The chair will be elected by and from the committee membership.

Meetings

Meetings are held twice each year in Schaumburg, Illinois. Meetings are 2 ½ days in duration for the spring meeting and 3 ½ days in duration for the fall meeting.

Funding

The AVMA reimburses committee members for expenses associated with attendance at Committee meetings and evaluations of educational institutions.

Reports

The committee reports on its activities to the AVMA Board of Directors and other stakeholders twice each year, including all evaluations and assignments of accreditation status.

Life expectancy

The committee is subject to annual audit and six-year standard audit reviews.