A Joint Statement from the AVTE, AAVSB, and AVMA
October 9, 2025
Last week in Chicago, leadership from the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (AVTE), the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) came together for a face‑to‑face meeting grounded in shared purpose: to strengthen the future of veterinary technician education, credentialing, and support systems across the profession.
We are encouraged by the spirit of collaboration and optimism that shaped our conversation. While our organizations have distinct responsibilities, we are united in our commitment to transparency, continuous improvement, and the well‑being of students, professionals, and the public.
Looking ahead, we identified several meaningful next steps to support continued progress. These include:
- a commitment to ongoing communication and collaboration,
- a joint effort by our three organizations to compare CVTEA accreditation standards with the VTNE Job Task analysis,
- a shared interest in exploring how enhancements in data and reporting can better support educational programs.
- AAVSB also shared that it has engaged a third‑party review of the technology that drives its reporting practices and is developing a new tool to provide more detailed, domain-level feedback to programs.
We recognize that ongoing collaboration means navigating complexity. Not every organization—or individual—will get everything they hope for. But there is strength in our willingness to lean in, listen deeply, and adjust where needed in service of the greater good.
Some areas, including the best way to support programs accredited by other bodies, such as ABHES, and any discussion of potential adjustments to reporting, will require further research and broader engagement. And trust—while growing within our communities—is something we will continue to build through transparency and shared action.
In this spirit, we reaffirm our commitment to AVTE’s principle of “One Community”— to strive to work in partnership, respect each organization’s role, and advance the systems that support veterinary technician education with care and integrity.
Our work is ongoing. We are committed to keeping our communities informed as we move forward—together.
Janet D. Donlin, DVM - Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, AVMA
Jim Weisman, DVM - Chief of Academic Affairs, Research & Accreditation, AVMA
James T. Penrod, CAE, FASLA - Chief Executive Officer, AAVSB
Tricia Gorham, CVT, FVTE - President, AVTE
Todd Von Deak, DBA, CAE - Executive Director, AVTE
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