History of Veterinary Technicians

In the Beginning

1908

The Canine Nurses Institute in England makes an organized effort to train veterinary assistants

Veterinary Nurse

A veterinarian would take anyone off the street and teach them what they wanted them to know. These were the first veterinary assistants

1960

The American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) certifies 3 levels of on- the job- trained animal technicians employed in research institutions Assistant laboratory technician (ALAT) Laboratory animal technician (LAT) Laboratory animal technologist (LATG)

1961

The first animal technician education program is established at the State University of New York (SUNY) Agricultural and Technical School at Delhi The U.S. Army forms the Veterinary/Animal Care Specialist (91T) course at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, DC

1962-68

Ralston Purina developed the first Animal Technician Training Correspondence Course for training laboratory animal technicians in the U.S.

1963

First graduating class of animal technicians from SUNY Delhi 8 students in the class

1965

The British Veterinary Nurses Association (BVNA) is established Walter Collins, DVM receives federal funding to develop a model curriculum for training veterinary technicians He produces several guides over the next 7 years

1965

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Executive Board decides officially that the adjective veterinary should not be used with the nouns technician or assistant nor should the AVMA approve instructional programs

Father of Veterinary Technology

Walter Collins, DVM Fall 1964 - Becomes a faculty member in the Animal Science Technology Department at SUNY Delhi

1967 Became director of the program

1965-73

U.S. Army Veterinary/Animal Care Specialists (91T) are assigned to multiple medical and veterinary detachments and are deployed to Vietnam, where they provide paraprofessional veterinary care to hundreds of military animals. They also carry out civic action programs to support indigenous livestock

1967

The AVMA Executive Board charges its council on education with establishing criteria for acceptable animal technician training programs and its judicial council with the responsibility for developing a model practice act Ridgetown College in Ontario establishes a provincially approved veterinary technology program

1968

The AVMA Advisory Committee on Animal Technicians urges all state veterinary medical associations to establish advisory committees on animal technicians. 23 states comply by 1969

1968

4 new veterinary technology programs are established in the US

Michigan State University Colorado Mountain College East Central Carolina Community College Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

1969

The First Symposium on Animal Technician Training Programs is held at Michigan State University The Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science (CALAS) begins national certification plans for laboratory animal technicians

1970

The New York State Association of Animal Health Technicians (NYSAHT) is formed by the graduating class of SUNY Delhi The Canadian Association of Animal Health Technicians (CAAHT) is formed

1972

The AVMA House of Delegates votes to accredit training programs for animal technicians The Committee on Accreditation of Training for Animal Technicians (CATAT) is formed and takes on this responsibility

1973

The first 2 programs that are accredited by the AVMA are those at Michigan State University and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture The Association of Animal Technician Educators (AATE) is formed

1973

The AVMA House of Delegates passes a resolution proposing registration but not licensure of animal technicians The Committee on Accreditation for Training of Animal Technicians changes its name to the Committee on Animal Technician Activities and Training

1975

The AATE constitution is adopted and the first officers are elected

1976

CATAT is recognized by the U.S. Office of Education as the accrediting body for animal technician training programs

New York State passes the first law licensing animal health technicians The first professional journal for veterinary technicians is published

1976

New York States licensing exam consisted of 2 parts

A written exam, given in Albany, which had to be passed then, A hands on practical exam, given at the Veterinary College at Cornell, which consisted of an identification slide show (fill in the blank) and hands on demonstration on live animals

1977

The first written examination for animal health technicians in the state of New York is administered

1978

The first hands on practical examination for animal health technicians is administered in the state of New York The AVMA adds a continuing education section for veterinary technicians at its annual convention

1980

At the annual AVMA convention, members of an ad hoc committee composed of representatives from the US and Canada discuss the idea of forming a US-Canadian veterinary technicians association.

1981

The North American Veterinary Technician Association (NAVTA) is formed The Association of Zoo Veterinary Technicians is formed

The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is formed

1982

CALAS creates a plan for the voluntary registration of laboratory animal technicians NAVTA adopts its first official journal, The Compendium on Continuing Education for the Animal Health Technician

1984

NAVTA adopts a national code of ethics for veterinary technicians The Compendium on Continuing Education for Animal Health Technician is changed to Veterinary Technician

1985

The AVMA Executive Board establishes the Animal Technician Testing Committee, which generates the National Technician National Exam (NATE) in conjunction with Professional Education Services (PES) The Association of Animal Technician Educators (AATE) changes its name to the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (AVTE)

1986

The first Animal Technician National Exam (ATNE) was given in Maine

1988

CALAS implements a testing and registration plan for laboratory animal technicians The AVMA votes no to a resolution that would change terminology from animal technician to veterinary technician

1989

The AVMA House of Delegates approves the use of the term veterinary technician, which replaces animal technician This results in the following changes:

CATAT (the Committee on Animal Technician Activities and Training) is changed to the Committee On Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA)

1989

The Animal Technician Testing Committee (ATTC) is changed to the Veterinary Technician Testing Committee (VTTC) The Animal Technician National Exam (ATNE) is renamed the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE)

1989

The Canadian Association of Animal Health Technologists and Technicians is formed

1990

NAVTA adopts its official mission statement and begins a strategic planning process NAVTA produces the World Of the Veterinary Technician videotape

1992

In England, Parliament approves a change in the nomenclature from Royal Animal Nursing Auxiliaries to Registered Veterinary Nurse The Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians act is passed, recognizing the title Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)

1992

The NAVTA Executive Board declares the third week in October to be National Veterinary Technician week

1993

NAVTA creates the Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties (CVTS) to oversee the development of specialty certification

The first National Veterinary Technician Week is celebrated (Oct 16-22) The American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians is formed

1994

The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) replaces the AVMA in the oversight of the VTNE Canadian provincial associations agree on complete reciprocity of credentials for its members

1994

The AVMA accredits the first distance learning program in veterinary technology at St. Petersburg Junior College The Japanese Veterinary Nurses and Technicians Association is established

1994

NAVTA grants the first provisional specialty in veterinary technology. The Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians

1996

NAVTA is named co-sponsor of National Pet Week

1998

The Northeast Veterinary Technician Educators Association (NVTEA) is formed NAVTA holds its first state representative workshop. Attending were representatives from 27 states and Canada

1999

Eighty programs of veterinary technology are accredited by the AVMA The AVMA incorporates language recommended by NAVTA in the AVMAs model practice act, which delineates the roles of the veterinary technician and veterinary asistant

1999

The American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) creates National Laboratory Animal Technician Week NAVTA recognizes the Academy of Veterinary Technician Anesthetists

2000

The International Veterinary Nurses and Technicians Association (IVNTA) holds its annual general meeting in the US

The bylaws of the Veterinary Technician Cancer Society are approved 86 programs are accredited by the AVMA including 2 distance learning programs

2002

NAVTAs Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties recognizes the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians

The North American Veterinary Technician Association changes its name to the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America
The first issue of the NAVTA Journal is released

2002

AALAS and the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (ICLAS) work together to acknowledge technicians for their role in biomedical research Laboratory Animal Technician week is expanded and renamed International Laboratory Animal Technician Week

2003

103 veterinary technology programs are accredited by the AVMA

References

2003 CD-ROM History Project by Dan Walsh and Roger L. Lukens (AVTE historians) AVMA NAVTA NYSAVT