Opportunities
in Veterinary Medicine
How
do I become a veterinary technician?
Veterinary
Technology Programs:
For those
interested in pursing a career as a veterinary technician,
there are two programs offered in NJ.
Camden
Community college offers a 70-credit program leading to an
Associate in Applied Science degree. Further information can
be obtained by calling 856-227-7200 or visiting www.camdencc.edu.
The Northern
New Jersey Consortium for Veterinary Technician Education
is a regional academic program sponsored jointly by County
College of Morris (CCM), Bergen Community College (BCC), and
Sussex County Community College (SCCC). Successful students
are granted an Associate in Applied Science degree. Please
contact one of the individual colleges for more information:
Bergen
Community College
(201) 612-5389 |
Sussex
County Community College
(973) 300-2170 |
County
College of Morris
(973) 328-5360 |
Registration
Guidelines
For Graduate Veterinary Technicians, Veterinary Technicians
and Veterinary Assistants:
A.
Qualifications for Registration
1. Application for the initial registration shall be submitted
to the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association. The NJVMA
will provide certificates of registration to applicants who
have completed all of the following for each category and
be known as:
a. Graduate Veterinary Technician: Graduate of an accredited
two, three or four year program in Veterinary technology
approved by the AVMA and who has passed the Veterinary
Technician National Exam or an equivalent examination
approved by the
NJVMA.
b. Veterinary Technician: Person who has passed the Veterinary
Technicians National Exam or an equivalent examination approved
by the NJVMA, and who has three years clinical experience
under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
c. Veterinary Assistant: Person whose training, knowledge
and skills are less than that required of a veterinary technician
and who provides support to veterinarians.
d. The NJVMA may issue a certificate of registration if
the applicant has been issued a certificate of registration,
certification or licensure in another state whose requirement
are at least equal to those of the NJVMA.
e. Applicants who do not complete all the necessary requirements
for a selected category will be issued a certificate for
the category which he/she meets the specific requirements.
2. Applicant must be at least 18 years old.
3. Applicant must be of good moral character.
4. Applicant must pay a fee for initial registration as determined
by the NJVMA. Applicants will be required to renew the registration
in January after two calendar years. Re-registration is $20.00.
Payment is due with the application.
B. Period of
Registration
Each period of registration shall be two calendar years or
part thereof beginning January 1st.
C. Types of
Registration
Registration shall be either active or inactive:
1. Active registration shall be granted to applicants who
are employed by a licensed or a license exempt veterinarian(s)
or by an organization providing direct supervision by a graduate
licensed or license exempt veterinarian(s).
2. Inactive registration shall be granted to applicants who
are not employed or under the direct supervision of a licensed
or licensed exempt veterinarian(s).
3. Transfers:
a. Transfers from active to inactive status shall be made
on the statement of the technician/assistant that he/she
is currently unemployed or not employed under the supervision
of a veterinarian. This statement shall be made within six
months of employment status change.
b. Transfer from inactive to active status shall be made
when the technician/assistant becomes employed by or under
the direct supervision of a veterinarian. This shall be
requested within thirty (30) days of employment status change
and accompanied by a letter from the veterinarian employer
or supervisor.
c. The NJVMA shall be notified of any changes in employment,
name, or mailing address.
D. Renewal of Registration
1. An applicant must have 20 hours of continuing education
credits for the
twenty-four months preceding the registration
renewal. Re-registration
will take place during January.
E. Lapsed Registration
Registration shall be lapsed if the registration fee is not
received by July 1st. Re-registration after a lapsed registration
notice is given may be reinstated by:
1. Payment of a fee as determined by the NJVMA ($25.00)
2. or, as directed by the NJVMA
F. Revocation of Registration
The NJVMA, after thorough investigation of a complaint against
a technician/assistant revoke an active or inactive registration
certificate for what they deem just cause for as long as they
deem justifiable.
G. Authority
The registration of technicians/assistants by the NJVMA shall
not be construed to supersede or alter the laws of the State
of New Jersey,
A technician or assistant shall not diagnose disease, prescribe
medicine or perform surgery. A technician/assistant registered
by the NJVMA can only function under the responsible supervision
of the veterinarian as specified by New Jersey law.
The NJVMA intends to offer the Veterinary Technician National
Examination at least once a year. This test is used in at
least twenty-eight states. Any applicant sitting for the examination
who passes with a score to be determined by the PES VTNE will
receive a certificate recognizing his/her performance on a
test of the highest overall standards of animal care.
Veterinary
Technician/Assistant Registration Application
How
do I become a veterinarian?
Application
to veterinary school involves undergraduate college course
work usually requiring 3-4 years to complete. The application
process also involves the applicant showing an interest in
veterinary medicine through gaining experience with a veterinarian
or work in similar fields. Once the applicant is accepted
to veterinary school, he or she must complete 4 years of course
work. The course work includes classroom and clinical study
in large and small animals. After the course work is completed,
a national test must be passed and then the student becomes
a doctor of Veterinary Medicine and can practice veterinary
medicine. A veterinarian can be identified by the letters
"DVM" or "VMD" after their name. Some veterinarians may pursue
further education, such as an internship and residency, which
may lead them to becoming a veterinary board certified specialist.
Veterinary
Colleges:
Several
colleges in NJ offer programs to meet the prerequisites for
veterinary programs. Upon completion of prerequisites, an
individual will have to travel out of state to pursue the
doctor of veterinary medicine degree. However, the state of
NJ does contract a limited number of seats at certain veterinary
colleges such as University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, and
Ohio State. Interested applicants are advised to contact the
individual colleges for information on NJ contract programs
and admissions procedures including out-of-state admissions
policies. Contact information for colleges with veterinary
programs can be found at http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/animatedjourneys/aboutvets/education.asp.
The NJVF Scholarship Program
New Jersey
residents attending veterinary school who would like to apply
for a scholarship, a loan, or a forgivable loan may print
the following forms and call the New Jersey Veterinary Medical
Association office at (973) 379-1100 for application deadlines.
Financial
Aid Instruction
Parent's
Questionnaire
Scholarship
Application
The NJVF
Scholarship Program is funded solely by contributions, a significant
portion of which is generated by New Jersey veterinarians.
In 2002, the NJVF awarded $78,500 in scholarship grants, forgivable
loans and interest free loans.
Veterinarian
Application for Licensure by Practical Examination
Requests
for an application for licensure are accepted by phone (973)
504-6500,
fax (973) 648-3355 and letter by writing to the State Board
of Veterinary Medical Examiners, P.O. Box 45020, Newark, New
Jersey 07101. Applicants must:
1. Request
an application for a review of credentials from the Board
office;
2. Complete
the application for a review of credentials and have it notarized;
3. Submit
the following:
A) A
completed application for a review of credentials;
B) The filing fee for a review of credentials (a certified
check or money order for $75 made payable to the State Board
of Veterinary Medical Examiners);
C) Two passport-size photographs (head and shoulder shot)
taken within the last six months;
D) A passing grade (with a minimum score of 70) on the National
Board Examination (NBE) within 10 years preceding an application
being sent through the Veterinary Information Verifying
Agency (VIVA);
E) A passing grade (with a minimum score of 70) on the Clinical
Competency Test (CCT) within 10 years preceding an application
being sent through the Veterinary Information Verifying
Agency (VIVA); and
F) An official transcript of veterinary school credits forwarded,
directly to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
by the college/university, containing:
1.
The signatures of college officials on the transcript;
2. The official stamp of the college/university; and
3. A verified English translation if the transcript is
in a language other than English.
Make
sure the school is accredited by the American Veterinary
Medical Association (AVMA). If the school is not accredited,
the applicant must complete Educational Commission for Foreign
Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) training before being eligible
to sit for the practical examination. The applicant also
must submit:
G) Proof
of a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine from a college/university
accredited by the AVMA, or
If all
but the last portion of the last semester of a veterinary
college or university accredited by the AVMA is completed,
the applicant must submit directly to the Board notification
that he/she is to be awarded a degree in veterinary medicine
at the next graduation, or
If the
applicant is a graduate of an ECFVG program, he /she must
submit notification that the applicant has satisfactorily
completed the program, and this notification should be forwarded
directly to the Board by the ECFVG office.
H) Verification
from every state in which an applicant is or has been licensed,
verifying that the applicant holds or held a valid, unsuspended
and unrevoked license to practice which verification must
be received directly from each state board.
4. When
the file is complete, the applicant will receive an application
to sit for the next scheduled examination. The application
must be completed and a $125 exam fee (certified check or
money order - made payable to the State Board of Veterinary
Medical Examiners) must be received at least 60 days prior
to the exam.
5. When
the applicant passes the practical exam he/she will receive
an application for initial licensure. This application must
be completed and returned to the Board with the appropriate
fee for initial licensure.
A candidate
who has failed the practical exam must wait five years from
the date of the failed exam before applying for a license
by waiver of examination (jurisprudence exam).
Credentials
records with no activity for a period of two years from the
last date that the applicant participated in an exam will
not be accepted for filing. Applicants are required to submit
new records and to pay the required filing fee.
If you
have any questions or need additional information, contact
the Board at 973-504-6500.
Veterinarian Application for Licensure by Waiver of Examination (Jurisprudence
Application)
The State
Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners ("Board") will waive
the practical examination if the applicant:
A) has
possessed, for a minimum of five years immediately preceding
the submission of an application, a valid, unsuspended and
unrevoked license to practice veterinary medicine after
examination by another state (or the District of Columbia)
which has education and examination requirements equivalent
to those required for licensure in New Jersey;
B) has had active clinical experience of a type acceptable
to the Board for three of the five years immediately preceding
application;
C) has passed the National Board Examination (NBE) and the
Clinical Competency Test (CCT) with a grade of 70 or better;
and
D) presents no basis for concern as to competency or fitness
for licensure and otherwise qualifies for licensure pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 45:16-6.
Anyone
qualifying under this provision for licensure by waiver of
the practical examination is required to successfully complete
the jurisprudence examination with a grade of 70 or better.
Applicants
must:
1. Request
an application for a review of credentials from the Board
office. Requests for applications
for licensure are accepted by phone (973) 504-6500,
fax (973)
648-3355 and by letter
sent to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners,
PO Box 45020, Newark, N.J. 07101;
2. Complete
the application for a review of credentials and have it notarized;
3. Submit
or have submitted to the Board, the following:
A) a
completed application for a review of credentials;
B) a filing fee for a review of credentials - a certified
check or money order for $75 made payable to the State Board
of Veterinary Medical Examiners;
C) two passport-size photographs (head and shoulders shot)
taken within the last six months;
D) proof of a passing grade (70) on the NBE within 10 years
preceding application being sent through the Veterinary
Information Verifying Agency (VIVA);
E) proof of a passing grade (70) on the CCT within 10 years
preceding application being sent through VIVA; and
F) an official transcript of veterinary school credits,
forwarded directly to the Board by the college/university,
containing:
a)
the signatures of college officials;
b) the college/university stamp; and
c) if the transcript is in a language other than English,
a verified English translation;
4. Make
sure the school is accredited by the American Veterinary
Medical
Association (AVMA). If the school is not accredited, the
applicant must complete the Educational Commission for
Foreign Veterinary
Graduates (ECFVG) training before being eligible to sit for
the practical exam.
(If the
applicant is a graduate of an ECFVG program, notification
that the applicant has satisfactorily completed the program
should be forwarded directly to the Board by the ECFVG office.)
5. Submit
verification from every state in which the applicant is
or
has been licensed, verifying that he/she holds or held a
valid, unsuspended and unrevoked license to practice from
the state
board(s).
6. Submit
a statement of good standing from any other entity that
authorizes
the applicant's practice of veterinary medicine, e.g., the
Racing Commission. The applicant shall notify the Board
in
the event that his/her privilege to practice veterinary medicine
was ever suspended or revoked by any authority.
7. Submit
three notarized certifications of experience, submitted directly
by veterinarians actively licensed and practicing in the same
jurisdiction(s) for which the experience is being certified.
Each certification shall:
A) be
on professional letterhead;
B) state the exact dates of the period being certified;
C) indicate the type of experience acquired, i.e., bovine,
exotic, equine or small animal;
D) provide certification as to the applicant's moral character;
E) provide a critical evaluation of the applicant's ability
to practice with a professional recommendation for licensure;
F) indicate the applicant has held, for a minimum of five
years immediately preceding the submission of an application,
a valid unsuspended and unrevoked license to practice veterinary
medicine issued after examination by another state or District
of Columbia, which has education and examination requirements
substantially equivalent to those required for licensure
in New Jersey;
G) indicate that the applicant has had active clinical experience
of a type acceptable to the Board for three of the five
years immediately preceding application;
H) indicate the applicant has passed the NBE and the CCT
with a grade of 70 or better;
I) indicate the applicant presents no basis for concern
as to competency or fitness for licensure and otherwise
qualifies for licensure pursuant to N.J.S.A 45:16-6; and
J) submit an examination fee of $125 (certified check or
money order made payable to the State Board of Veterinary
Medical Examiners).
When the
exam application is complete, the Board will vote on whether
to approve the application. If the board approves the application,
the applicant will be sent an application for the opportunity
to sit for the jurisprudence examination and will then be
notified of the place and time of the examination.
When the
applicant passes the jurisprudence examination, he/she will
receive an application for initial licensure. The applicant
must complete and return that application with the appropriate
fee for initial licensure.
Credentials
records with no activity for a period of two years from the
last date that the applicant participated in an examination
will not be accepted for filing. The applicant shall be required
to submit new records and to pay the required filing fee.
If you
have any questions or need additional information, contact
the Board at (973) 504-6500.
General
Information on Careers in Veterinary Medicine
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