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The Academy of Veterinary Surgical Technicians (AVST) is proud to be the newest veterinary technician specialty officially recognized by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). The AVST will create a standardized route through which technicians may qualify for a national examination to become a Veterinary Technician Specialist, or VTS (Surgery). A 2009 survey of veterinary professionals indicated the need for technicians with advanced knowledge in many areas related to surgery. “Veterinary technicians must not only understand sophisticated soft tissue and orthopedic surgical procedures, but also possess advanced knowledge in areas such as anatomy and physiology, equipment/instrument care and maintenance, principles of asepsis, wound management, and diagnostic imaging techniques. Furthermore, surgical patients often require postoperative support such as coaptation or rehabilitation. A highly skilled technical staff assures that perioperative surgical patients receive a level of care commensurate to the surgical procedure performed,” says AVST President Heidi Reuss-Lamky. The Academy of Veterinary Surgical Technicians encourages experienced surgical technicians to enhance their education and training by pursuing a surgical specialty.
The AVST application process will be similar to the other existing specialty academies. Interested candidates will be required to maintain a case log, create in depth case reports, submit letters of recommendation, complete a skills list and fulfill continuing education (CE) requirements. The CE must be given by a veterinarian that is a Diplomat of a specialty college (e.g., ACVS, ACVIM, AVECC), or a specialty credentialed veterinary technician (e.g., AVTA, AVECCT.) Qualifying CE topics may include soft tissue, orthopedic, or neurologic surgical procedures, anatomy and physiology, knowledge and care of specialized surgical instrumentation including sterilization techniques, care and maintenance of surgical equipment such as nitrogen powered drills, laparoscopic and arthroscopic equipment, principles of infection control and asepsis, wound care, diagnostic imaging methods and techniques, and post operative patient care such as coaptation and physical rehabilitation.
The AVST anticipates giving the first exam at the 2012 American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) annual conference. Veterinary technicians that are interested in this surgical specialty and wish to be included on the mailing list should contact the AVST Secretary Teri Raffel at raffelteri@gmail.com.
Read the full press release
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Thank You Hill’s Pet Nutrition
Hill’s Pet Nutrition has long been considered a leader in the realm of nutrition-based companion animal health and an ardent supporter of the veterinary health care team. On behalf of the entire organizing committee of the Academy of Veterinary Surgical Technicians (AVST), it therefore gives me great pleasure to thank a company as prestigious as Hill’s Pet Nutrition for its recent generous donation and support. Furthermore, we look forward to sharing the news about the generosity of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, as well as the importance of nutrition for veterinary surgical patients, with our future academy members and the entire veterinary community.
We anticipate working with Hill’s Pet Nutrition in the years to come as we ambitiously prepare to administer the first AVST certifying examination at the ACVS Veterinary Symposium in November 2012. Please go to www.avst-vts.org to learn more about this new veterinary technician specialty.
Heidi Reuss-Lamky, LVT, VTS (Anesthesia)
President, Academy of Veterinary Surgical Technicians
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AO Veterinary Technicians' Workshop - New for 2010!
Pre-2010 ACVS Veterinary Symposium Workshop
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Seattle, WA
This eight-hour workshop will introduce to technicians the instrumentation, implants and techniques routinely used in orthopedic surgery. This classroom and hands-on course will familiarize participants with the proper care and use of the instrumentation and help them develop appropriate and effective cleaning and sterilization methods for those instruments. The importance of maintaining adequate asepsis and antisepsis protocols will be emphasized, with a focus on the role that veterinary technicians are playing in preventing or minimizing orthopedic infections. Participants will become familiar with short and long term care of the post-operative orthopedic patient, including physiotherapy. Additionally, this workshop will help technicians to improve client communication and develop better patient follow-up programs. Overall, this course will provide practical experience, understanding and knowledge to help the veterinary technician to better assist the orthopedic surgeon and take a greater, more active role in the decision making, treatment and care of the surgical patient.
View more information on the 2010 ACVS Veterinary Symposium Technicians' Program
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AVST Seeking Donations of Gently Used Textbooks
The Academy of Veterinary Surgical Technicians (AVST) would sincerely appreciate donations from ACVS members of gently used textbooks. These publications will be used for creating the AVST qualifying examination. Donated textbooks (published after 2001) should contain subject matter such as wound care, rehabilitation, surgical techniques, anatomy & physiology, laser surgery, instrumentation, etc., for small animal, large animal and exotic species. Donations that will be useful include the textbooks from the ACVS Examination reading list, although textbooks in related areas will be needed as well.
2010 ACVS Examination Reading List Textbooks (Small Animal and Large Animal)
Auer JA, Stick JA: Equine Surgery, W.B. Saunders Co., (3rd Ed), 2006. Beale BS, Hulse D, Schulz K, Whitney W: Small Animal Arthroscopy, W.B. Saunders Co., 2003. Boothe DM: Small Animal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, W.B. Saunders Co., 2001 Fackelman GA, Auer JA, Nunamaker DM, eds. AO Principles of Equine Osteosynthesis, AO Publishing, 2000. Fossum TW: Small Animal Surgery, Mosby Co. (3rd Ed), 2007. Fubini SL, Ducharme NG: Farm Animal Surgery, W.B. Saunders Co., 2004. Guyton AC, Hall JE: Textbook of Medical Physiology (11th Ed), W.B. Saunders Co., 2006. Johnson AL, Houlton JEF, Vannini R: AO Principles of Fracture Management in the Dog and Cat, AO Publishing, 2005. Lumb and Jones: Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (4th Ed), Blackwell Publishing, 2007. McIlwraith CW, Wright I, Nixon AJ, Boening KJ: Diagnostic and Surgical Arthroscopy in the Horse (3rd Ed). Mosby Ltd, 2006. Nixon AJ: Equine Fracture Repair, W.B. Saunders Co., 1996. Piermattei D, Flo G, DeCamp C: Brinker, Piermattei, and Flo's Handbook of Small Animal Orthopedics and Fracture Repair, (4th Ed), W.B. Saunders Co., 2006. Slatter D: Textbook of Small Animal Surgery (3rd Ed), Vol. 1 & 2, W.B. Saunders Co., 2003. Stashak TS, Theoret CL: Equine Wound Management, (2nd Ed), Blackwell Publishing, 2008.
Books can be sent directly to: AVST's President: Heidi Reuss-Lamky, 23291 Oberliesen St., Clinton Twp, MI 48036-1230. If there are any questions concerning the book donations, please contact Heidi Reuss-Lamky at frzbdogmom@aol.com, or 586-344-8734.
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Technician Jobs on the Rise - Despite the Recession
A recent article on Yahoo! Hotjobs provides a list of "Jobs That Are Growing - Despite the Recession." Among these fields are veterinary technologists and technicians.
"These jobs are projected to experience 36 percent growth between now and 2018, with an average of 4,850 job openings per year," says Laurence Shatkin, the author of "150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs." "Rapid growth does not always translate into job openings right now, but in this case it does. The number of veterinary lab tests continues to grow very rapidly, and colleges where students prepare for this career report good opportunities for their graduates."
Read the full article.
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