Veterinary technicians add rehabilitation specialty
The organizing committee for the Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians announced that the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America has recognized the academy as its 15th veterinary technician specialty. The mission of the new specialty is to provide assistance in veterinary physical rehabilitation and to encourage veterinary professionals and colleagues to further their education, while improving the quality of animals’ lives.
According to Kristen L. Hagler, a registered veterinary technician and president of the organizing committee, the physical rehabilitation specialty looks forward to supporting colleagues at the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation and veterinarians credentialed in physical rehabilitation with expertise, knowledge, and skill while providing a high standard of care to patients and their families.
Veterinary technicians wishing to apply for the second examination cycle, in late 2019, must submit a pre-application letter of intent and two letters of recommendation from colleagues who are recognized experts in the field by Jan. 1, 2018. More information is available on the academy’s website. The first examination will be given in August 2018 in Las Vegas; the deadline for letters of intent was April 1, 2017.
In a press release, Hagler invited veterinary technicians who do not think they are qualified yet to apply for APRVT recognition to first become a technician associate member of the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians. The liaison for AARV technician associate members, Dawn Hickey from the University of Tennessee, is a member of the Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians board of directors and is their voice. Questions pertaining to what might help them succeed in becoming recognized, how to find continuing education events, and other matters relating to APRVT recognition can be directed to her at dhickey3
utk [dot] edu (dhickey3[at]utk[dot]edu).
The APRVT joins the existing 14 NAVTA-recognized veterinary technician specialties: dentistry, anesthesia, internal medicine, emergency and critical care, equine nursing, zoological medicine, surgery, behavior, clinical practice, nutrition, clinical pathology, dermatology, ophthalmology, and laboratory animal medicine.
The NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialists was formed in 1994. It provides guidelines to the veterinary technician organizations to facilitate the formation of specialties and assists the existing academies. Academies develop pathways and advanced standards that candidates must complete and maintain to be awarded the designation of veterinary technician specialist in their specific discipline.