Application Resources - Class of 2020

​The Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians (APRVT) appreciates your interest in becoming a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Physical Rehabilitation, VTS (Physical Rehabilitation). The APRVT’s goal is to assure the veterinary profession and the public that an APRVT certified technician possesses the knowledge, skills and experience needed to practice physical rehabilitation applications at an advanced level of competency. Although the academy requirements are rigorous, they are not designed to be obstacles to prevent candidates from becoming certified. The requirements of eligibility for application and examination are defined in the APRVT constitution and bylaws.
Note: use this document to retrieve forms and signature pages. A completed application must be submitted as a .PDF file through Drop Box

Submission of your License and Diploma

Applicants must be a graduate of an AVMA approved Veterinary Technology Program and/or legally credentialed to practice as a veterinary technician in a state of the United States, province of Canada or other country. Below are the acceptable credentials we will accept from a country outside of the USA. Please contact the APRVT for specific information about credentialing if a country is not listed.
  • United Kingdom (UK): must submit a copy of the RCVS certificate. Candidates must hold a license to practice as an RVN and be in good standings with the RCVS. At this time the RCVS diploma is not required.
  • Australia: must submit a copy of the Certificate IV in veterinary nursing or a Bachelor of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology. At this time a diploma in veterinary nursing is not required.
  • Canada: must be credentialed to work as a veterinary technician in your province. This requires that you take and pass the VTNE.
 
A scanned copy (.pdf) of the current license must be included. If the current license does not indicate the original date of credentialing, documentation must accompany the license which includes the date.
 
Graduates of an AVMA approved veterinary technology program must submit a scanned copy of the diploma as proof of gradation along with the name of the school. If a state does not issue a paper license and has a voluntary credential process, an official letter from the state Veterinary Medical Board or state Veterinary Technicians Association stating the original date of credentialing and that the applicant is in good standing to legally practice as a veterinary technician must be included. Canceled checks and other documents will not be accepted as proof.
 
Those states without voluntary credentialing for veterinary technicians must be a graduate of an AVMA approved Veterinary Technology program AND pass the VTNE, which will serve as the date of credentialing.

Case Reports

Four (4) detailed case reports are required. Case reports must demonstrate expertise and understanding of principles in the management of a variety of veterinary patients requiring veterinary physical rehabilitation. Case reports must be the original work of the applicant and strictly adhere to the case report submission and guidelines in the Application Packet. Case reports shall correlate with a case log. If the correlating case log is rejected, the report is automatically rejected. This is a professional report and is of the caliber for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. A case report example will be sent to candidates after acceptance of pre-application submission materials.

Reading List

Candidates are encouraged to adhere to the reading list when preparing for the examination and when writing case reports, providing a minimum number of references for case reports and questions about the advanced skills list. Formatting guidelines for references may be submitted to the credentialing chair. 
Case reports must utilize the following validated scoring systems and will be verified in the case logs. Applicants are encouraged to use the AAHA-AAFP Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (2015) when discussing pain and pain evaluation or the WSAVA Guidelines for Treatment and Recognition of Pain. Before using a different evaluation scale, please check with the APRVT Credentialing Chair so that your work is not rejected.
Pain Management
Orthopedics
​Neurology

Member Articles and Publications - Newsletters

Part of the VTS (Physical Rehabilitation) application process and ongoing membership is collaboration with our veterinarian colleagues. Individuals are encourages to contribute to the AARV (American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians) Technician Member Spotlight at least once during the pre-application process and is accepted in accumulation of points system points. Please contact the AARV technician associate member liaison.
​2018
Stay Tuned!
2017 Member Submissions
December 2017 AARV Tech Tip - Feline Friendly Therapy Tips - Jenn Panko
November 2017 AARV Tech Tip - Disaster Response - Using therapeutic modalities for burn patients (Assisi tPEMF loop and Respond Veterinary Systems laser therapy) - Kristen Hagler
October 2017 AARV Tech Tip - Top Ten Ways to maximize your career!
September 2017 AARV Tech Tip - Using Fear Free Behavior Modification in the Physical Rehabilitation Setting - Sandra Petit-Dowd
August 2017 AARV Tech Tip  Case Study: Long-term care for Fibrocartilaginous Embolism in a Labrador Retriever - Sandy Gregory
July 2017 AARV Tech Tip Case Study: The addition of physical rehabilitation modalities and therapeutic exercise to improve post-operative ileus in a Labrador Retriever Cross - John Nielson
June 2017 AARV Tech Tip Self-Mutilation of Digits in a Military Working Dog after Tarsometatarsal Arthrodesis - Kelley Meyer