This week, we’re celebrating the incredible professionals who keep our hospital running, our patients comfortable, and our teams thriving — our certified veterinary technicians (CVTs).
CVTs are the steady hands during critical procedures, the calm voices in emergencies, and the compassionate presence that comforts both pets and their people. They juggle science and empathy with seamless skill — managing complex anesthesia cases, performing advanced diagnostics, assisting in endoscopy and CT procedures, supporting emergency stabilization, and ensuring every patient receives expert, attentive care.
At Sunstone, we say this often (and mean it every time): our CVTs are the backbone of our hospital. Their compassion, skill, and teamwork make everything we do possible — not just during Veterinary Technician Week, but every single day.
What Does It Mean to Be a Certified Veterinary Technician?
In Oregon, veterinary technicians are known as Certified Veterinary Technicians (CVTs) — credentialed professionals who have completed years of education, passed national exams, and earned state certification through the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board.
Depending on the state, veterinary technicians may hold the title of CVT, LVT (Licensed), or RVT (Registered) — but all represent the same level of professional training and certification. These are highly educated, regulated medical professionals who play a vital role in veterinary care.
At Sunstone, all of our technicians are certified — and many hold (or have held) licenses in multiple states. It’s a mark of their expertise, professionalism, and deep commitment to excellence in patient care.
The Road to Becoming a Certified Veterinary Technician
Becoming a certified veterinary technician starts with a love for animals — and grows with passion, perseverance, and a serious commitment to education.
Here’s what that path looks like:
- Education: Most CVTs complete a two- or four-year degree in Veterinary Technology from an AVMA-accredited program, studying anatomy, anesthesia, pharmacology, laboratory procedures, and surgical and medical nursing.
- Hands-On Experience: During their training, students complete extensive clinical rotations — gaining real-world experience in areas like internal medicine, surgery, diagnostic imaging, emergency care, anesthesia, and more.
- The VTNE: After graduation, they must pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) — a comprehensive national exam administered by the AAVSB.
- State Certification: Once they’ve passed, they apply for certification through the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board, officially becoming a Certified Veterinary Technician.
And the learning doesn’t stop there — CVTs are required to complete continuing education every renewal cycle to maintain their certification and stay current with the latest advancements in veterinary medicine.
A Day in the Life of a Certified Veterinary Technician
Every day looks different for a certifiedveterinary technician— and that’s part of what makes the role so dynamic and fulfilling.
At Sunstone, our CVTs work across a wide range of departments, supporting internal medicine, surgery, and emergency teams. Depending on the case, they may:
- Assist our internists during ultrasound-guided procedures, endoscopies, colonoscopies, and rhinoscopies
- Place IV catheters, endotracheal tubes, and manage anesthesia for both planned and emergency procedures
- Perform complex drug calculations and administer medications safely and accurately
- Collect and process samples for cytology, culture, and other labwork
- Prepare and assist during soft tissue or orthopedic surgeries
- Provide intensive nursing care for emergency and hospitalized patients
- Perform and assist with diagnostic imaging, including x-rays and CT scans
- Educate clients, mentor veterinary assistants, and maintain smooth communication across teams
Our CVTs bring a rare blend of technical skill, medical knowledge, and emotional intelligence to their work. They are essential to every successful diagnostic test, procedure, and recovery — and they do it all with compassion and precision.
Specialized Skills, Advanced Expertise
At Sunstone, our certified veterinary technicians are more than skilled professionals — they’re the right hands of our specialty doctors. Our internal medicine, surgery, and emergency technicians each bring highly specialized knowledge and experience to their work.
Not only have they completed the education and licensing required to become certified veterinary technicians, but they’ve also spent years working side by side with our specialists. This close collaboration has given them advanced expertise in their individual fields — from assisting with complex endoscopies and CT procedures in internal medicine, to maintaining precise surgical sterility and monitoring anesthesia, to responding quickly and compassionately in emergency situations.
While our technicians are cross-trained and capable of supporting any service, most develop a deep passion and proficiency for their chosen specialty — where their skill and dedication shine brightest.
Growing, Learning, and Staying Certified
Being a certified veterinary technician is a lifelong commitment to growth. In Oregon, CVTs are required to complete at least 20 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain their certification. These CE hours can include workshops, conferences, online courses, or specialty training — all designed to help technicians stay current with the latest advances in veterinary medicine.
Some veterinary technicians decide to go even further by pursuing specialty certifications through NAVTA, becoming Veterinary Technician Specialists (VTS) in disciplines such as anesthesia, emergency and critical care, internal medicine, surgery, and more.
By committing to continuous learning, veterinary technicians ensure every patient benefits from the latest, evidence-based care — and their expertise elevates the entire veterinary community.
Thinking About Becoming a Certified Veterinary Technician?
If you’ve ever dreamed of working in veterinary medicine, becoming a certified veterinary technician might be the perfect path. It’s a career where compassion meets science — and where every day brings new challenges, learning, and fulfillment.
Many veterinary hospitals and specialty centers offer support for team members who are pursuing veterinary technician school while working. For employees who meet certain requirements, this may include flexible scheduling, mentorship, or even financial assistance toward tuition and fees.
If you’re passionate about animal care, teamwork, and continuous learning, this might just be the career for you. Explore these resources to learn more:
Why We’re So Grateful for Our CVTs
At Sunstone, our culture is built on trust, kindness, respect, communication, teamwork, and loving what we do.
Our certified veterinary technicians embody those values every single day — supporting our internists, emergency clinicians, surgeons, residents, and interns with grace, collaboration, and deep medical knowledge.
They are the heart of our hospital — the ones who make calm out of chaos, who lift up their teammates, and who care for every patient as if they were their own.
This Veterinary Technician Week, we celebrate them — and we invite you to join us in saying thank you to the remarkable people who make it all possible.
