MAVT Position Statement Letter

View letter here - Printable Version

October 4, 2022

AHS Directors and Staff,

The Minnesota Association of Veterinary Technicians (MAVT) would like to inform you that our organization is opposed to the language of your training program in which applicants would “graduate” as a Veterinary Technician instead of a Veterinary Assistant. While we are not against a training program bringing more individuals into the veterinary health care team, we strongly discourage the advertisement of this program using the Veterinary Technician title. Our fear is that individuals will choose a shorter training route rather than enrolling in an accredited veterinary technician program, contributing further to our credentialed veterinary technician shortage.

MAVT has been working toward title protection for Veterinary Technicians for decades. Since Minnesota first offered a certification credential in 1984, MAVT has been working toward title protection for Veterinary Technicians. In 2021, with the support of our membership and MVMA, we introduced legislation to further this effort. This proposed legislation protects the title of who is called a Veterinary Technician. Based on the American Veterinary Medical Associations (AVMA) definition of “Veterinary Technician” and “Veterinary Assistant”, it is obvious that these individuals completing the AHS training program will become Veterinary Assistants and NOT Veterinary Technicians.

It is discouraging that the message to the public appears to be that after a 7 month on the job training program, someone can become a veterinary technician. This is misleading and demeans the credentialing requirements of being a graduate of an accredited AVMA program and passing the VTNE.

MAVT understands that your organization is not doing anything illegal and that this training program is no different than a clinic hiring someone off the street and calling them a Veterinary Technician. Our hope is that the AHS being a large employer of Veterinary Technicians, should respect the title of Veterinary Technicians in the industry as a whole and strive to educate the public with definitions endorsed by the AVMA.

We urge you to please change this training program’s name to a Veterinary Assisting program to not only gain the respect of Veterinary Technicians in the community but help to further advance the profession of Veterinary Technicians and the impact they bring to the community.

Maria Nellessen, BA, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), President

president@mnmavt.org

Mettine Unruh, CVT MAVT, Secretary 

secretary@mnmavt.org

Leslie Kollmann, BS, CVT, MAVT Vice President

vicepresident@mnmavt.org

Jessica Johnston, CVT, VTS (Dentistry) MAVT State Representative

staterep@mnmavt.org