10/21/2026
Since it’s National Veterinary Technician Week, I want to take a moment to talk about something important in veterinary medicine: the difference between a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) and someone who simply identifies as a vet tech.
In Ohio, the distinction matters.
A Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) has graduated from an approved veterinary technology program, passed the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), and obtained registration through the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board.
This requires dedicated education, testing, and a commitment to continuing to learn and grow within the veterinary profession.
Someone who calls themselves a vet tech may have years of hands-on experience working in a veterinary hospital, and that experience absolutely has value.
Veterinary assistants and other support staff are important members of the veterinary healthcare team. However, experience alone does not make someone a registered veterinary technician.
Let’s talk about title protection.
Title protection helps distinguish professionals who have met specific educational, examination, and registration requirements from individuals who have not. It gives the public a clearer understanding of a person’s qualifications and helps protect the integrity of our profession.
In Ohio, it’s important to distinguish the legal requirements for registration and practicing as an RVT from the broader, everyday use of the term “vet tech.” Not every use of that informal term necessarily means someone is claiming to be registered.
Why am I bringing this up during Vet Tech Week?
Because the education, responsibility, and work that go into becoming an RVT deserve recognition. Our credentials aren’t just letters after our names. They represent formal training in areas such as anesthesia, pharmacology, laboratory procedures, patient monitoring, nursing care, and much more.
RVTs are essential members of the veterinary healthcare team. We work alongside veterinarians to provide patient care, advocate for our patients, educate clients, and help ensure animals receive appropriate medical attention.
As an RVT, this profession means a great deal to me. I’ve worked in general practice, emergency medicine, and specialty surgery, and I bring that experience into the care I provide through The Planted RVT.
This week, I encourage pet owners to learn more about the veterinary professionals caring for their animals, ask questions about credentials, and recognize the many different people who contribute to their pets’ health and well-being.
And to my fellow RVTs: thank you for the knowledge, compassion, hard work, and advocacy you bring to this profession every day. Whether you’re working in general practice, emergency medicine, specialty care, research, education, or a nontraditional role like mobile veterinary technology, your work matters.
