AIMVT RECERTIFICATION INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
The Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians (AIMVT) certification is designed to assure the public and the profession that veterinary technician specialists (VTS) in internal medicine (IM) in the subspecialties of small animal internal medicine (SAIM), large animal internal medicine (LAIM), cardiology, oncology and neurology are competent to provide an exceptionally high standard of care to patients.
The goal of recertification is to ensure that specialists stay current with new developments in diagnosis and treatment and to encourage members to improve patient care through education and research. You may choose not to be recertified, recognizing that you will no longer be certified as a VTS in Internal Medicine. You will lose your membership in the AIMVT.
On the AIMVT recertification application form provided, enter your certification date, name, and address, current employer and whether you are legally credentialed to practice as a veterinary technician. Enclose a copy of your current license with your application and documents. The recertification fee is $60 and serves as your membership fee for your recertification year. Please either send a check to the PO box as listed on the Contact page or pay via PayPal.
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES
All required points must be accrued within the five years preceding your recertification application, from June to December (see the table, below). Continuing education may be received or presented at a national, regional, state or local veterinary meeting. At least 70% of the CE hours must be in the subspecialty for which you are applying. Keep track of accumulated points using the continuing education worksheet. These must be submitted with all of the other documentation.
If you choose to meet the recertification requirements by continuing education, you must accumulate 60 POINTS in a combination of any of the following ways:
20 points minimum – Attending lectures or labs on subjects related to your Internal Medicine subspecialty.
The Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians (AIMVT) certification is designed to assure the public and the profession that veterinary technician specialists (VTS) in internal medicine (IM) in the subspecialties of small animal internal medicine (SAIM), large animal internal medicine (LAIM), cardiology, oncology and neurology are competent to provide an exceptionally high standard of care to patients.
The goal of recertification is to ensure that specialists stay current with new developments in diagnosis and treatment and to encourage members to improve patient care through education and research. You may choose not to be recertified, recognizing that you will no longer be certified as a VTS in Internal Medicine. You will lose your membership in the AIMVT.
On the AIMVT recertification application form provided, enter your certification date, name, and address, current employer and whether you are legally credentialed to practice as a veterinary technician. Enclose a copy of your current license with your application and documents. The recertification fee is $60 and serves as your membership fee for your recertification year. Please either send a check to the PO box as listed on the Contact page or pay via PayPal.
- Indicate whether you want to become recertified:
- by retaking the examination; OR
- by showing that you have accumulated sufficient continuing education (CE).
- If you do not wish to recertify in one of the above ways, please let us know that you wish to relinquish your VTS status.
- If you choose to apply for recertification by retaking the examination you will be notified of the date, time, and location of the exam. You are not allowed to use this option if you have served on the Examination Committee within the last 3 years or if you have rated the examination within the last 3 years. The submission date for your application is December 31 of the year that is five (5) years after your initial AIMVT certification and every five (5) years thereafter, unless you are a charter member. Charter members first recertified in 2013 and will not need to recertify until 2023 and every ten (10) years thereafter.
- If you choose to apply for recertification by demonstrating that you have met the requirements for accumulating sufficient continuing education credits, complete the fill in CE worksheet. Fraudulent documentation will result in the loss of certification as a VTS in Internal Medicine
- In either case for recertification, 10 exam questions, as per these instructions and on this worksheet must be submitted with your application and other documents unless you have held office or Chair a committee of AIMVT. One question from each domain must be submitted, each domain question must be from a different task. If you have held office or have chaired a committee of AIMVT this requirement is waived. If an exam question is not accepted, a rewrite or new question will be requested.
- If you choose not to apply for recertification, recognize that you will not be certified as a (VTS) in Internal Medicine. Your loss of certification will be recorded as voluntary and not as the result of any disciplinary action if you are currently a member in good standing.
- Complete all continuing education worksheets, exam questions and sign and scan the waiver, release and indemnity agreement.
- All recertification documents must be submitted in an electronic format to the Recertification Committee Chair at CherylB@aimvt.com and copied to the Executive Director LindaM@aimvt.com (Unless individual exceptions are made, in writing, by the Recertification Committee Chair)
- The application must be received no later than December 31 of the year that is five (5) years after acquiring your initial VTS (Internal Medicine) certification and every five (5) years thereafter. You will be contacted by the AIMVT Recertification Committee to remind you of your renewal and recertification via electronic mail 6 months prior to deadline. Failure to submit proper documentation for recertification before the deadline will result in the loss of certification as a VTS (Internal Medicine).
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES
All required points must be accrued within the five years preceding your recertification application, from June to December (see the table, below). Continuing education may be received or presented at a national, regional, state or local veterinary meeting. At least 70% of the CE hours must be in the subspecialty for which you are applying. Keep track of accumulated points using the continuing education worksheet. These must be submitted with all of the other documentation.
If you choose to meet the recertification requirements by continuing education, you must accumulate 60 POINTS in a combination of any of the following ways:
20 points minimum – Attending lectures or labs on subjects related to your Internal Medicine subspecialty.
- 1 point per hour for attending a lecture
- 2 points per hour for attending a lab
- 1 point per hour for attending a lecture related to general veterinary medicine.
- 2 points per hour for attending a lab related to general veterinary medicine.
- 1 point for reading an article related to veterinary internal medicine in a journal
- 1 point for first hour and 0.5 points for each additional hour for attending webinar related to veterinary internal medicine
- 1 point per hour attending in house training in veterinary internal medicine
- 30 points for a book chapter/section published. A clear demonstration of your contribution must be demonstrated. If subsequent editions of the same chapter/section are published, credit for points will be considered based upon applicants demonstration of revisions.
- 20 points for a journal article published
- 10 points for primary author on a research paper or editor of a book, chapter or section of a book
- 10 points per year for holding office or serving as a committee chair of AIMVT
- 5 points per hour for lecturing at a meeting, or per class hour at a college of veterinary medicine or veterinary technology program. If subsequent lectures or classes are given, credit for points will be considered based upon applicants demonstration of revisions.
- 5 points per hour for being a lab instructor at a meeting, or per hour and per class at a college of veterinary medicine or veterinary technology program.
- 5 points for secondary author on a research paper
- 5 points per year for serving on a veterinary technician program advisory board
- 5 points per year for serving on a committee of AIMVT. A letter from the Chair is required stating that you actively participated in the duties of the committee.
- 5 points per year for chairing or 3 points per year for serving on a committee to provide RACE certified continuing education at local, regional or state conferences
- 3 points per hour for writing or being a judge for ACVIM case reports, or a lab assistant at a meeting, or per class hour at a college of veterinary medicine or veterinary technology program.
- 2 points per newsletter article published
- 2 points per year for rating the examination beginning in 2017
- 4 points per mentee per year, with a maximum of 12 points. This point allocation begins with mentoring starting in 2017 and beyond
Frequently Asked Questions about Recertification
1. When do I recertify?
Year of Exam |
Recertification due by 12/31 of |
Include CE from: |
2012 |
2017 |
June 1, 2012 - December 30, 2017 |
2013 |
2018 |
June 1, 2013 - December 30, 2018 |
2014 |
2019 |
June 1, 2014 - December 30, 2019 |
2015 |
2020 |
June 1, 2015 - December 30, 2020 |
2016 |
2021 |
June 1, 2016 - December 30, 2021 |
2017 |
2022 |
June 1, 2017 - December 30, 2022 |
2018 |
2023 |
June 1, 2018 - December 30, 2023 |
2019 |
2024 |
June 1, 2019 - December 30, 2024 |
2020 |
2025 |
June 1, 2010 - December 30, 2025 |
NEW IN 2017! CE from the ACVIM Forum attended in conjunction with your examination will count towards your recertification CE hours.
2. Can you give me an example of how the points listed above are calculated?
If someone submits:
30 pts CE for specialty internal medicine lectures attended (MIN of 20 points allowed) = 30 pts
+ 17 pts CE for general veterinary medicine lectures attended (MAX of 10 points allowed) = 10 pts
+ 5 years of DAL = 50 pts (max of 40 allowed) = 40 pts
+ 30 for book chapter (max of 40 allowed) = 30 pts
+ 15 points for reading Journals (max of 40 allowed) = 15 pts
Since the total number of points required is 60, the Recertification Committee will count the 30 points for specialty IM lectures, the 10 points (maximum allowed) for general vet med CE, and 20/40 of the points for serving as DAL:
30 + 10 + 20 = 60 Recertification requirements met for the CE portion
If you have other questions, please contact the Recertification Chair (email listed above)
2. Can you give me an example of how the points listed above are calculated?
If someone submits:
30 pts CE for specialty internal medicine lectures attended (MIN of 20 points allowed) = 30 pts
+ 17 pts CE for general veterinary medicine lectures attended (MAX of 10 points allowed) = 10 pts
+ 5 years of DAL = 50 pts (max of 40 allowed) = 40 pts
+ 30 for book chapter (max of 40 allowed) = 30 pts
+ 15 points for reading Journals (max of 40 allowed) = 15 pts
Since the total number of points required is 60, the Recertification Committee will count the 30 points for specialty IM lectures, the 10 points (maximum allowed) for general vet med CE, and 20/40 of the points for serving as DAL:
30 + 10 + 20 = 60 Recertification requirements met for the CE portion
If you have other questions, please contact the Recertification Chair (email listed above)