CVTEA changes accreditation term

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​The AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities has taken steps to eliminate confusion over one of its accreditation terms. 

The term “provisional accreditation” has been replaced by the term “initial accreditation.” The committee believes using the latter term will more accurately convey the accreditation standing and process to stakeholders and the public. The AVMA Executive Board approved the committee’s recommendation in April. 

This category of accreditation is given to newly accredited programs for their first five years. Programs receiving this designation are considered AVMA-accredited programs, with graduates eligible for licensure.

However, according to the CVTEA, the perception was that “provisional” equated to “temporary, less accredited, or not yet accredited.”

“This resulted in frequent misunderstanding by state licensing boards and associations on the eligibility of candidates for licensure. In addition, the general public is often confused on the meaning of ‘provisional,’ generating numerous inquiries by phone and email for clarification,” the background to the recommendation stated.