American Veterinary Assistants Association

The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) was formed in East Lansing, Mich., in 1981 with the goal of allowing veterinary technicians to give input on national issues involving the veterinary profession. Hill's Pet Nutrition was their first corporate sponsor. Since then, NAVTA has grown and seen many successes, including the declaration of National Veterinary Technician Week, the formation of the Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties, the development of a scholarship program and much more. NAVTA is led by an engaged Executive Board and Executive Director, and embraces committees to help drive initiatives forward. These committees are made up of NAVTA active members, and are led by a chairperson. Committees have individual structures, term limits, numbers of seats, and focus. Currently, the incoming president appoints chairpersons. Members wanting to sit on a Committee or Chair a Committee are nominated either by themselves or other active NAVTA members. The NAVTA Journal is the official publication of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) and is a members-only benefit. This dynamic clinical bi-monthly publication is the only continuing education publication sanctioned by NAVTA for its members. Each edition of NAVTA Journal includes three (3) continuing education (CE) articles worth one credit each, a Veterinary Assistant Article approved for one (1) CE credit, state association and Specialty (VTS) updates. All veterinary technicians work under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. While a veterinary technician can assist in performing a wide variety of tasks, they cannot diagnose, prescribe, perform surgery, or engage in any activity prohibited by a state's veterinary practice act.