CVTEA announces policy changes, decisions

The AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) had a busy year as it oversaw the accreditation of more than 200 veterinary technology programs, updated its standards of accreditation, and published survey results giving the latest statistics on these programs.

In 2023, CVTEA-accredited programs had 5,162 veterinary technician graduates, 4,664 of which received their associate degree and 498 receiving their bachelor's degree. For the 2023-24 academic year, these programs had 33,590 total students enrolled.

Accreditation actions

In 2024, two new veterinary technology programs received CVTEA accreditation: Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The latter program offers a distance educational modality.

An additional program, Mildred Elley College in Albany, New York, has applied for CVTEA accreditation.

There are currently 218 CVTEA-accredited veterinary technology programs which are classified as follows: 68% at full accreditation, 12% at initial accreditation, 19% on probationary accreditation, and 1% on voluntary terminal accreditation. Among these programs, 28 offer a four-year degree and 11 offer a distance learning program.

For 2025, nine programs are seeking initial accreditation and have been granted a site visit date.

Initial accreditation is for newly accredited programs and lasts for five years. Graduates of an initially accredited program are considered graduates of a CVTEA-accredited program and are eligible in nearly all states to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE).

Meanwhile, the committee withdrew accreditation from three programs last year:

• City College; Hollywood, Florida, effective June 15, 2024
• Independence Community College; Independence, Kansas, effective June 15, 2024
• Pima Medical Institute; Dillon, Montana, effective April 25, 2024

Standards revisions

The CVTEA uses 11 standards to accredit veterinary technology programs, including those related to finances, admissions, students, and resources for clinical instruction. The committee released an updated version of its Accreditation Policies and Procedures (P&P) Manual, effective August 1, 2024.

One of the changes involved Standard 4 (Physical Facilities and Equipment) by modifying the term "work space" to "office space" to allow for contemporary terminology and to broaden the definition because of an increase in remote or hybrid work practices and technology. The term "appropriate" was also added to make sure programs take into consideration confidential matters that occur within dedicated work space.

Another section of the P&P was changed to say that the CVTEA will now disclose the noncompliant standards related to probationary accreditation actions to the public. No further information is released by the CVTEA, as information about the accreditation of a veterinary technology program is confidential and not subject to freedom of information laws.

Finally, the committee amended the VTNE reporting window from an academic year (July 1-June 30) to a calendar year (January 1-December 31). Each program must notify the public of its performance in educating veterinary technicians by posting on the program's website homepage or direct link from the program's home page the following: The first time, three-year pass rate on the VTNE and the number of first-time candidates that have taken the VTNE.

The VTNE data on the website must be updated by March 1 of each calendar year.

Further standards changes

For this year, the CVTEA has opened a public call for feedback for the following standards, skills, and equipment:

• Standard 8 (Students), Section 8a
• Standard 9 (Faculty), Section 9e
• Standard 11 (Outcomes Assessment)
• Appendix F (Instructional and Clinical Equipment)
• Appendix G (Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Surgical Nursing, and Laboratory Animal Procedures)

For Standard 11 (Outcomes Assessment), the proposed changes are intended to broaden the standard to encompass multiple measures of program performance. In addition to the language changes proposed, the CVTEA would provide specific program student exit and employer surveys to be used by all programs for consistency in data collection and evaluation, according to the committee.

Under the surgical nursing portion of Appendix G, tail docking and onychectomy for dogs and cats have been removed from a list of routine surgical procedures of which veterinary technicians must be knowledgeable.

Written comments regarding all the above listed sections must be received no later than March 15 by completing a survey.

The next CVTEA meeting is scheduled for April 24.

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