Veterinary Technician Specialists
What is a Veterinary Technician Specialist?
Veterinary Technician Specialists (VTS) are credentialed veterinary technicians who have obtained additional certifications through academies recognized by the NAVTA‘s Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties (CVTS). Rigorous standards must be met to ensure the highest level of expertise and competence in the specialty field.
Each specialty has similar requirements for a technician to be eligible to apply for certification including:
- Experience in the specialty field for 3-5 years after becoming a credentialed veterinary technician
- Expertise in core skills, specified as specialty skills by the academy
- Completing a case log with over 40 cases related to the specialty field the year preceding the application
- Submit detailed case reports on several of these cases
- Obtain letters of recommendation
Once the application is accepted, passing the specialty exam is required to receive further certification. Because the requirements are rigorous, a vet techs decision to attain designation as a VTS is definitely not made lightly. The motivation to pursue certification largely lies in a strong interest and commitment to the specialty field, dedication to patient care, as well as raising the standards of practice.
Meet our VTS’s
Kristen Cafarella
CVT, VTS (Oncology)
Kirsten has been in the veterinary field since 2005 and became a certified veterinary technician in 2010. In 2018 Kristen obtained additional certification as a VTS (Veterinary Technician Specialist) in oncology. Kristen is a professional member of the NJVTA, NAVTA, Veterinary Technician Cancer Society and the Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians-Oncology.
Diana Dulaney
LVT, VTS (ECC)
Diana completed her education in 2005 at the Northern NJ Consortium for Veterinary Technician Education. She became a board certified technician in Emergency and Critical Care through the Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2009 and remains an active member. Diana spent time as a surgical technician at the Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers prior to opening up Cornell University Veterinary Specialist in Stamford, CT in 2011. She was on the AVECCT mentoring committee and successfully mentored 5 candidates to sit for their ECC exam. She is currently on the Recertification Committee with AVECCTN and remains active in training technicians. Diana was invited to be a lab instructor at the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Symposium in 2011 and was a distinguished speaker at Oradell Animal Hospital’s first annual NJVTC in 2018. She has a special interest in anesthesia and pain management.
Sue Kolkka
CVT, VTS (Clinical Pathology)
Sue has been with Oradell Animal Hospital for 28 years. She is a licensed veterinary technician as well as a charter member of the VTS in Clinical Pathology. Sue has been invited to lecture at several national conferences including AAHA, WVC, and NAVC/VMX. She was also the winner of the NAVTA sponsored Case Report Competition at the NAVC Conference in 2015. Sue has experience in many departments including laboratory supervisor, team leader, blood bank coordinator and senior trainer, and is currently the manager of our Fort Lee office.