Veterinary Medicine Education and Training Key Terms

Don't let veterinary medicine education and training key terms put you in the doghouse

By Meredith Fagioli

As a veterinary clinic owner, or a veterinarian who is looking to further their own skill set, you are familiar with veterinary medicine education and training. But, maybe it has been a few years since you have been in a classroom setting, and you are hearing some new terms being used around the office by veterinarians fresh out of school. If what you hear is confusing you, or you just want to brush up on some new veterinary medicine information to improve your skill set, start by reviewing some popular key terms heard during veterinary medicine education and training.

AAVMC

The AAVMC, or the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, is a coalition of medical schools and colleges that focus on promoting the academic areas of veterinary medicine in addition to being a liaison to the government, the public and other scientific organizations.
Try: Visit the website of the AAVMC for more information on veterinary schools, admissions criteria, future meetings of the AAVMC and jobs in veterinary medicine.

AVMA

The AVMA, which is the abbreviation for the American Veterinary Medical Association. This association has some of the highest standards for veterinary medicine and is the accrediting body for the 28 veterinary schools in the United States. There are 78,000 veterinarians that are members of this association and take advantage of their continuing education offerings, journals and networking events.
Try: You can learn more about the educational opportunities the American Veterinary Medical Association offers by visiting their website.

AHVMA

You might not hear about the AHVMA frequently, but the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association is growing. This association focuses on a homeopathic approach to veterinary medicine.
Try: Visit the site of the AHVMA for more information on holistic medicine, jobs, homeopathic research and to find out dates for their annual conference and homotoxicology seminars.

NAVTA

The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, or NAVTA, is responsible for promoting the job of veterinary technician and also offering education opportunities for those both interested and qualified.
Try: Head over to the NAVTA website to read more about their continuing education offerings.

VCAT

As part of the admissions requirements for veterinary schools, you may be required to take the VCAT. The VCAT stands for the Veterinary College Admissions Test. Questions on the test focus on areas such as biology, chemistry and even reading comprehension.
Try: At the GradView website, you can learn more about what to expect when you take the VCAT.

D.V.M.

At the end of your veterinary medicine education and training, you will become a D.V.M., which is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and it is what is required to practice.
Try: At the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, you can learn more about D.V.M. and what it is to be a veterinarian.