Remember that if your application was accepted you will have to submit a final complete packet by 12/31 of the year that your initial application was approved.
ALL INFORMATION REQUIRED AND PAYMENT FOR THE INITIAL APPLICATION WILL BE SUBMITTED THROUGH ONE FORM! THIS FORM CAN BE ACCESSED BY CLICKING THE LINK WHEN APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN.
Please note that the initial application process must contain all of the required information at the time of submission. The application fee is non-refundable. If the application is not submitted in its entirety the application may be rejected. BEFORE APPLYING READ ALL OF THE INFORMATION BELOW TO ENSURE YOU QUALIFY AND UNDERSTAND THE REQUIRED INFORMATION.
Please be sure that you have met all of the requirements and are able to attend the meeting that year.
If you have any immediate questions that have not been answered below you can email the AVOT Secretary Katie Cranston @ avot_vts@yahoo.com
Please read the following requirements below to see if you will qualify as a candidate. You must work Directly with a Diplomate (ACVO or ECVO) to Qualify.
We are still updating our qualifications for technicians residing outside of the USA. Please be patient with us as we look forward to accepting international members in the next 3-5 years.
We suggest you email us to sign up for our list serve to stay up to date on all of the latest AVOT news. Contact us to sign up. You must be working as a ophthalmology technician to be on this listserve.
APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS FROM THE AVOT BYLAWS:
Section 1 Have a minimum of 3 years with 6,000 hours of experience as a credentialed veterinary technician in the field of Ophthalmology. All experience must be completed within five years prior to application. This experience must be completed under the supervision of a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
A. Veterinary Ophthalmology is defined as the branch of veterinary medicine concerned with Ophthalmology in animals. Ophthalmology is further defined to include advanced knowledge of wellness and preventative medicine, a detailed knowledge of complex, acute and chronic eye disease, and a thorough knowledge of the anatomy, pathology and pathophysiology of animals. Additional surgical knowledge including surgical procedures, preparation, instrumentation, specialty equipment, and anesthesia are also required.
Section 2 Spend at least 75% of his/her time in Ophthalmology. All experience must be completed within 5 years prior to initial application. This time has to be spent under the direct supervision of a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
Section 3 Have a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education all being in the field of Ophthalmology. These hours must be completed within five years PRIOR to initial application date. Proof of attendance will be required. Any combination of accepted forms of CE equaling to at least 40 hours is needed. Continuing education must be RACE certified or as stated below:
Of those 40 hours the following will be accepted:
1.) A maximum of 8 credit hours of anesthesia will be accepted. This all Must be RACE certified.
2.) A maximum of 14 Ophthalmology Specific credit hours from RACE equivalent (examples-Accredited State Associations or Schools of Veterinary Medicine) or regionally/nationally recognized conferences sponsored by ACVO (examples- MWVOS or the annual ACVO meeting--This does not include the AVOT annual meeting as those hours are all RACE approved)
3.) A maximum of 8 Ophthalmology Specific credit hours of non RACE approved, in house or online CE that is Ophthalmology specific. (This means no more than 8 hours will accepted in online CE whether RACE or non RACE)
Section 4 Provide documentary evidence of advanced competence in Ophthalmology through clinical experience, as follows:
A. 80% Completion of the Advanced Ophthalmology Skills portion on the veterinary ophthalmology skill form and 80% completion of the knowledge List. 100% of the general and basic portions of the veterinary ophthalmology technician skill form must be completed.
1.) You must master the stated number of skills in each section. Your DACVO/DECVO may attest to your mastery of the skill. If you work with a VTS (Ophthamology), they also may sign. Mastering a skill is not performing it once! You must be able to perform the skill multiple times, sometimes on multiple species, without guidance. You must also understand the basis for the skill, the equipment used and be able to trouble-shoot any problems.
B. Four in depth case reports selected from the case log demonstrating expertise in the nursing management of a variety of ophthalmology patients. These must include varied species and each should be a different disease or surgical procedure. Cases selected for case reports are not required to be rare or unusual, but should not be something commonly occurring in general practice, (i.e. straight forward entropion, cherry eye, uncomplicated ulcer, uncomplicated enucleation, etc.). Case selection should be based on the ability to demonstrate advanced skill and knowledge. Case reports should reflect advanced knowledge of the disease process in the management of cases in the area of specialization and show mastery of advanced Ophthalmology skills and knowledge.
1.) Drug names (generic) dosage (mg/kg), and amount administered (in mg, not ml) should be listed whenever appropriate. For example, it is not acceptable to write “induced anesthesia”. The actual names, dosages, and amounts of pre-anesthetic and anesthetic drugs should be listed as well as the route administered
2.) Cases selected should reflect management of patients in the area of ophthalmology. Cases selected should demonstrate your mastery of advanced nursing skills. Every effort to document a wide variety of advanced nursing skills should be reflected in your case selection and must cross reference to your skills list. You are encouraged to select cases that demonstrate more than one advanced skill. Emphasis should be on quality rather than quantity, although a sufficient caseload must be available to provide experience with all common types of ophthalmologic cases. It is recognized that the veterinary technician has little control over the practice case load, yet the applicant is encourage to demonstrate as much diversity as reasonable possible.
C. A minimum of 50 case logs must be recorded. A case record log is maintained for no more than one year within the three years immediately preceding the final submission of a packet.
1. ) It is recommended that more than 50 cases, but not more than 60, be included in the log in the event the credentials committee determines that one or more cases do not meet the standards set.
2.) Multiple visits by the same patient count as only 1 case unless presented for an entirely new problem.
3.) Basic skills can be listed, but advanced skills must also be represented for a case to qualify. Repetitive listing of skills may lead to disqualification of the case from the log unless other skills are also represented.
4.) All cases must be within a 365 day period that does not begin more than 3 years preceding the final packet submission date.
5.) The AVOT case log form format must be utilized.
6.) Cases selected should demonstrate your mastery of advanced nursing skills. Every effort to document a wide variety of advanced nursing skills should be reflected in your case selection and must cross reference to your skills list. You are encouraged to select cases that demonstrate more than one advanced skill. Emphasis should be on quality rather than quantity, although a sufficient caseload must be available to provide experience with all common types of ophthalmologic cases. It is recognized that the veterinary technician has little control over the practice case load, yet the applicant is encourage to demonstrate as much diversity as reasonable possible.
7.) Drug names (generic) dosage (mg/kg), and amount administered (in mg, not ml) should be listed whenever appropriate. For example, it is not acceptable to write “induced anesthesia”. The actual names, dosages, and amounts of pre-anesthetic and anesthetic drugs should be listed as well as route administered.
D. Submit three questions for possible use in future examinations. The questions represent advanced knowledge in Ophthalmology
E. Two letters of recommendation: Either 2 letters from Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology, one letter from a VTS (Ophthalmology) and one letter from a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology, or one letter from a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology and one letter from a Supporting Veterinarian or a Diplomate of another Veterinary College deemed appropriate by the Board of Regents (such as DACVIM, DACVS, or other)
Section 5 Pass certification examination given by the Academy.
Section 6 Be accepted for membership in the Academy by a majority of the Executive Board.
Section 7 Hold voting privileges and be eligible to hold office in the Academy.
Section 8 The candidates must be a member of NAVTA, capable of providing documentation of current membership
PLEASE CLICK ON A LINK BELOW TO READ THE BYLAWS, CONSTITUTION,APPLICATION/TIMELINE, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION:
2023 APPLICATION INFORMATION AND TIMELINE (Packet due 12/31/2024, Test would be Fall 2025)
VTS TIPS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND REQUIREMENTS (A PowerPoint document)
KNOWLEDGE LIST (SUBJECT TO BE UPDATED)
SKILL SET LIST (SUBJECT TO BE UPDATED)
CASE LOG GUIDELINES , TEMPLATE, AND EXAMPLES
CASE REPORT GUIDELINES AND EXAMPLES
SUGGESTED EXAMINATION READING MATERIALS (Currently being updated)
CONTINUING EDUCATION EXAMPLE
NAVTA PRESS RELEASE:
13th Veterinary Technician Specialty Recognized by NAVTA
August 16th, 2016 - Albert Lea, Minnesota: The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) announces the thirteenth veterinary technician specialty academy to the veterinary technology profession. The Academy of Veterinary Ophthalmic Technicians (AVOT) has been recognized as an official specialty by NAVTA. The AVOT joins the existing twelve NAVTA recognized veterinary technician specialties: dentistry, anesthesia/analgesia, internal medicine, emergency & critical care, surgery, equine, zoology, behavior, clinical practice, nutrition, clinical pathology and dermatology.
"The NAVTA Veterinary Technician Specialties give veterinary technicians an option for career advancement by taking their skill set to a veterinary technician specialist level by mastering an advanced skill set and education in a specific area driven by their passion," stated Ann Wortinger, BIS, LVT, VTS (ECC, SAIM, Nutrition), Chairperson of the NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties (CVTS). "We are thrilled to have an increasing number of veterinary technicians seeking this level of specialization, as well as an increasing interest in recognition in various areas of veterinary medicine."
"The AVOT's mission is to advocate ocular health while advancing the knowledge and practice standards in the field of ophthalmology. The Academy operates under the guidance of NAVTA and the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) to foster yearly continuing education, professional development, and networking with industry partners.", says Natalie Herring, LVT, President of the AVOT.
The NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialists was formed in 1994 and is recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The Committee provides guidelines to the veterinary technician organizations to facilitate the formation of a specialty and assists the Academies throughout their years while in existence. Academies develop pathways and advanced standards that candidates must complete and maintain in order to be awarded the designation of Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in their specific discipline.
The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), is a non-profit organization that represents and promotes the profession of Veterinary Technology. NAVTA provides direction, education, support and coordination for its members. Incorporated in 1981, NAVTA is the national organization devoted exclusively to developing and enhancing the profession of veterinary technology. For more information about NAVTA and the Veterinary Technician Specialties, visit their website at www.navta.net