Question:
What Do Veterinary Technician Credentials RVT, LVT and CVT Stand For?
Working with animals requires a love of animals and the knowledge
of how to work with and take care of them. People who work as
Veterinary Technicians learn the necessary animal handling skills and
knowledge by attending veterinary technical school or by learning the
skills on-the-job.
Answer:
Veterinary technicians are trained professional support staff who
provide assistance to veterinarians and biomedical/laboratory
researchers. Technicians provide patient monitoring, animal restraint,
surgical and dental assistance, laboratory diagnostics, administration
of medicines and treatments, anesthesiology among other vital animal
care and veterinary clinical tasks.
Some technicians are trained on the job by the veterinarian(s) or
other technicians on staff. Some technicians attend schools that offer
two or four year degrees in the science of veterinary technology. Upon
completion of a formal academic program or by taking state-administered
certification tests, one can become credentialed as a veterinary
technician.
Credentialed technicians often have a better job outlook and
higher income opportunities, but this varies with an individual's level
of experience and by local demand.
Credentialed veterinary technicians are known by various initials in the United States:
- CVT: Certified Veterinary Technician
- LVT: Licensed Veterinary Technician
- RVT: Registered Veterinary Technician
The qualifications and regulations for each designation vary, but
the term used is often mandated by what state or province that the
technician resides in.
According to the
National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA):
The current terminology recognized by decree of both NAVTA and the
AVMA is "Veterinary Technician." Whether you are an LVT, RVT or CVT the
term used is mandated by the technician’s state of residence.
Multiple titles can be very confusing for the public. In order to
simplify this we recommend the use of the credentialed Veterinary
Technician. We use the word credential not only to denote licensure and
certification, but also to connote an affective element inherent in
these terms.
The
American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) maintains a
directory of regulatory agencies pertaining to licensing and credentialing of veterinary technicians and veterinarians in the United States and Canada.
Like veterinarians, veterinary technicians may specialize in a
particular field of study such as dentistry or anesthesiology. NAVTA
recognizes several
technician specialties (recognized as either academies or societies).
Related Reading:
U.S. Department of Labor -- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
From the Occupational Outlook Handbook