Important note: There are TWO parts to the application. Phase I as outlined below and Phase II which includes final payment, case reports, case logs and the skills list.
The APRVT requires a Letter of Intent (LOI) to be submitted along with TwoLetters of Recommendation(LOR) and a Curriculum Vitae prior to application submission. Letters of intent shall be received one year prior to an applicant packet submission. Pre-applications are due January 1st 11:59:59 CST for the following examination year. Pre-Application information received on or after the deadline will not be considered for the next examination cycle. Letters are limited to one page in length, single-spaced using 12-point font Times New Roman, and 1-inch margins. Letters should include the candidate’s name, titles earned. Applicants are to provide a letter that describes who they are and why they are interested in becoming VTS (Physical Rehabilitation). Applicants must describe how they can contribute to the APRVT as a member and future plans once recognition is attained.
Letters of Recommendation and Veterinary Mentorship
Two letters of recommendation are required for APRVT consideration and are limited to one page in length. One letter must be from the applicant’s mentor who is a veterinarian certified in veterinary physical rehabilitation or is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation who can directly attest to the candidate’s skills, evaluation of the candidate’s commitment to the profession and ability to participate in a cooperative work environment. Mentors must meet the minimum eligibility requirements listed in the APRVT By-Laws and Application packet. The candidate must have a direct relationship with all the individuals writing a recommendation letter. The APRVT will accept letters of recommendation from other specialty college diplomates, with pre-approval, until a sufficient number of ACVSMR diplomates exist. In addition, Credentialed Veterinary Technicians (CVT) with credentialing in any VTS Academy will be accepted under the current APRVT By-Laws for the application year. Non-VTS CVT’s and Physical Therapists with physical rehabilitation credentialing will not be accepted. Pre-Applications will not be considered if two recommendation letters are not enclosed.
Each VTS candidate should be supervised by a veterinarian who is certified in veterinary physical rehabilitation or is a Diplomate of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (DACVSMR) who meets the minimum experience eligibility. This “mentor” should be in the same locality as the candidate and should be able to communicate at a minimum by video conferencing. Non-VTS CVT’s and Physical Therapists with rehabilitation credentialing will not be accepted for mentorship.
Curriculum Vitae Applicants are required to utilize the APRVT CV template for expedited processing of the pre-application packet. It should be clearly outlined an applicants work and education experience. Applicant name MUST be on each page listed at the top of each page in the header portion. Do not change the formatting when using the CV Template unless you are trying to maintain category formatting. We will only accept Times New Roman 12-point font with 0.5-inch margins. Page numbers should be listed and section headings (e.g. Veterinary Physical Rehabilitation Experience) must be for each page in addition to applicant name should appear at the top of each page. DO NOT FORGET your NAVTA membership number and CVT license number.
Applicants must show evidence of activities that earn a minimum of 155 points (out of a possible 465 - point system) at the time of final Application submission. The APRVT looks favorably upon the well-rounded applicant and will evaluate eligibility based on information submitted. Please include all PLANNED activities through the time of application submission. Photocopies of certificates, publications/table of contents, syllabus, fliers, proceedings, articles, and diplomas are REQUIRED in the preview phase.
Teaching experience is accepted if the following criteria are met (at least one): course material is peer reviewed, a syllabus or outline is followed or course content is above and beyond what is expected for entry level physical rehabilitation, participants are either invited or exclusive to veterinary professionals. For each category, a description of evidence must be provided. Teaching at the high-school level will NOT be accepted as experience unless the speaker provides material on a regular basis (e.g. and entire semester). Submission forms and continuing education requirements are located in the Application packet. Letters of affidavit from the applicants mentor or institution may be required as proof of experience. Please include all documentation.
**Inclusion of a separate CE log for credits claimed in the points system. Do NOT duplicate CE claimed for the minimum number or use Webinars. When using this form as pre-application, include planned attendance or completion dates. Do not forget to include speaker credentials and RACE approval status**
Submission of License, Diploma and Supporting Documents
Applicants must be a graduate of an AVMA approved Veterinary Technology Program andlegally 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.
ALL supplementary documents must include the applicant's name and date of acquisition. A blank record will be rejected along with any correlating information claimed. Examples of supplemental documents includes:
Continuing Education Certificate
Articles or blogs written (if name is not provided, an affidavit must be included from the mentor for verification)
Receipts for license, educational courses, memberships
Membership cards
Submitting the Pre-Application
A completed pre-application packet includes ALL phase 1 documents in an electronic format (preferably .PDF with file naming convention: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_LETTEROFINTENT_APRVT_YEAR) and e-mailed to the Credentialing and Case Review Chairperson.
Please refer to the Applicants page for required forms and details. Once the pre-application packet received and reviewed, The Credentialing and Case Review Chairperson will contact the applicant acknowledging receipt of materials. After pre-application packet review by the Credentialing and Case Review Committee Chair and approved by the Executive Board, a welcome letter with with an Applicant Registration Number (ARN) will be sent to the applicant. Applicants can expect to wait no more than seven (7) business days for acknowledgement and twenty-one (21) days for welcome letter instructions. Pre-Application SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED MORE THAN 90 DAYS before the submission deadline may be subject to delayed processing.
Please DO NOT pay any fees (application, examination) in advance unless you have received specific pre-approval. This may result in application or examination processing delays.
It is very important to read the complete Bylaws, Constitution and Code of Ethics for the APRVT.
Additional Information
If you have submitted a pre-application but were unable to meet the application deadline, candidates MUST re-submit their entire pre-application packet prior to the submission deadline. Please notify the Credentialing Chair as soon as you think you may need to defer an application submission.
Re-Application: If an Application does not pass, pre-application information may be resubmitted for a total of one application cycle year. This means if an applicant immediately re-applies for the following examination cycle, resubmission of a pre-application packet is not required and the AIN remains the same. It is the responsibility of the applicant to inform the credentialing chair of future submission plans for record keeping purposes. Applicants shall reference Bylaws Section 3.6. Failure to meet certification eligibility for details when notifying the credentialing committee.If an application is rejected for a second time or more than one cycle passes, the pre-application materials must be resubmitted with instructions provided to the applicant and the applicant will be assigned a new AIN number.
