Be a veterinary technician/nurse who has graduated from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) or Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) accredited education program in Veterinary Technology or is credentialed to practice (if available in applicant’s state) as a veterinary technician/nurse by a recognized credentialing body in the United States, Canada, or other country

Show evidence of a passing score on the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) or State licensing exam.

Be subject to the voting on of specific candidates for unrecognized programs or foreign credentialing by the Board of Regents.

After graduating from a recognized school of Veterinary Technology or becoming credentialed to practice (if available in applicant’s state) as a veterinary technician/nurse (or its equivalent), the candidate must meet education and experience requirements, as specified:
I. Experience

Five years (a minimum of 10,000 hrs.) work experience or its equivalent in the field of veterinary medicine with 75% of that work experience (7,500 hrs.) dedicated in the field of Diagnostic Imaging, clinical or research based. All work experience must be completed within five (5) to seven (7) years immediately prior to submitted the application.

II. Continuing Education

A minimum of forty (40) continuing education (CE) hours related to veterinary diagnostic imaging and advanced imaging modalities.

  • The continuing education must be completed within the last five (5) to seven (7) years immediately prior to submitting the application. At least ten (10) hours of the CE must be completed within the year of submission.
  • The continuing education must be RACE approved or its equivalent, and/or received from an accredited veterinary technician school, school of veterinary medicine, or national/ state/ local conferences with approved CE in diagnostic imaging methods and/or use of advanced imaging modalities.
    • No more than ten (10) hours (25%) may come from electronic and/or printed sources with accompanying certificates of completion.
    • No more than five (5) hours may come from non-veterinary based Diagnostic Imaging Continuing Education.
  • Applicants must provide scanned copies provided by the organization to show the name of lecturer, content, relevance and proof of attendance.

It is highly recommended that applicants attend the annual American College of Veterinary Radiology Scientific Conference and/or the annual European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging meeting for one of the attended CE venues listed.

See AVTDI ByLaws for complete Continuing Education requirements and additional information, here.

Continuing education should documented in the provided template format for review by the Credentials Approval Committee. Specifications for completion of the continuing education template can be found in the Candidate Packet.

III. Advanced Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging Skills Form

Completion of the Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging skills form:

  • Skills may be completed within the last five (5) years immediately prior to application submission.
  • Skills in Sections A (General Radiology) & C (Supplemental Skills/Nursing and Pharmacology) may not be duplicated.
  • Skills in Section B (Advanced Imaging and Contrast Examinations) may not be duplicated unless the skill is demonstrated using a different modality.

The skills form documents those skills that have been not simply performed but mastered by the candidate and are necessary to practice as a veterinary technician at an advanced level in the field of diagnostic imaging. Mastery of a skill is defined in the AVTDI Articles and Bylaws.

** The skills form is subject to change based upon the current state of the art technology in veterinary diagnostic imaging **

For complete Diagnostic Imaging Skills guidelines, refer to the AVTDI ByLaws and Candidate Packet. 

IV. Case Logs

A case log is to be maintained for one (1) year immediately preceding the submission of the final application. The cases shall reflect the mastery of general radiology knowledge and advanced imaging skills required to be applied for imaging of multiple species of veterinary patients.

  1. A minimum of forty-five (45) case logs must be recorded, not to exceed sixty (60).
    • A minimum of ten (10) case logs must represent skills from Section A and minimum twenty (20) case logs must represent skills from Section B.

Specifications provided in the AVTDI ByLaws and/or Candidate Packet.

V. Case Reports

Six (6) detailed case reports should be maintained for one (1) year immediately preceding the submission of the final-application. Case reports submitted by the candidate must demonstrate expertise in management of imaging clinical cases.

Specifications provided in the AVTDI ByLaws and/or Candidate Packet.

VI. Letters of Recommendation:
  1. Provide two (2) letters of recommendation from:
    • an AVTDI member,
    • a Diplomate of the ACVR, and/or a
    • Diplomate of the ECVDI,
    • senior third-year ACVR/ECVD Resident
    • a Diplomate of an AVMA recognized veterinary specialty college, or
    • a member of another NAVTA VTS academy
  2. Letters of recommendation will be submitted separately and confidently to the AVTDI.

Specifications provided in the AVTDI ByLaws and/or Candidate Packet.

VII. Submission of five (5) examination questions and corresponding answers for potential future use.