The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) developed the Approved Veterinary Assistant (AVA) program to identify and honor exceptional veterinary assistant training, with more than 60 approved programs across 24 states and a Canadian province. All NAVTA Approved programs follow strict curriculum and academic guidelines, and the official AVA designation is earned by completing a NAVTA-approved program and passing its exam.

This course does not grant the official AVA designation itself, which requires enrollment in a NAVTA-approved program — it draws on that same knowledge structure to build real foundational competency: the veterinary assistant’s role and scope, restraint and handling, basic clinical support, sanitation and infection control, client communication, and recognizing the real boundary between assistant-level support and licensed veterinary or veterinary technician work.