Is a VTS Worth It?
(RACE 1.0 CEU)

Kelly Foltz is a 1999 graduate of Mercer University with a bachelor’s degree in English and a 2006 graduate of Athens Technical College with an associate of applied technology degree in Veterinary Technology.  She joined the Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians and Nurses (AVECCTN) in 2012 with recertifications in 2017 and 2022. 

Interested in a VTS of your own?  For information on technician specialties in general, visit https://navta.net/veterinary-technician-specialties/ and https://www.avecct.org/ for information about AVECCTN.

From 2012-2020, Kelly was employed by Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine as an inpatient/urgent care technician and supervisor and in August of 2020 she relocated to Gainesville, FL to accept a position as an ICU shift lead at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.

In 2022, Kelly joined BluePearl as their Mid-Atlantic Regional Nursing Partner, where she serves as a nurse administrator for hospitals in MD, VA, KY, TN, NC, SC, and GA. 
For more information about BluePearl, please visit https://bluepearlvet.com/

In addition to her clinical work, Kelly is a lecturer, author, educator, and served on the AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) from 2017-23, serving as Vice Chair in 2021-2022 and as Chair in 2022-2023.  During that time, she was involved in the creation of the AVMA Committee for the Advancement of Veterinary Technicians and Technologists (CAVTT).  She has also represented technicians on the AVMA Task Force on Veterinary Technician Utilization in 2019 and the Working Group on Veterinary Technician Utilization in 2020-21.  Information about CVTEA can be found here, including accreditation standards, policies, and procedures: https://www.avma.org/education/center-for-veterinary-accreditation/accreditation-veterinary-technicians For information on CAVTT, please visit https://www.avma.org/membership/volunteering-avma/councils-committees-task-forces-and-trusts/committee-advancing-veterinary-technicians-and-technologists-cavtt

Her professional interests include technician engagement and education, feline medicine, neonatal and pediatric nursing, trauma, and vascular access.  Kelly maintains active credentials in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.  In an alternate universe, she is a flower farmer, pickle entrepreneur, and full-time beekeeper.

Kelly’s favorite critical care textbooks, journals, and websites:

1)  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14764431
2) https://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/small-animal-critical-care-medicine-9780323764698.html https://eclinpath.com/ 
3)https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jfm

And an incredible recipe for dill pickle dip: https://noblepig.com/2015/07/dill-pickle-dip/

Amy is a professional unicorn and owner of Veterinary Team Training. She has over 25 years of experience as a credentialed veterinary technician.

After working in general practice for many years, Amy found her passion in emergency medicine and went on to obtain her Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Emergency and Critical Care. She has published the best selling and award-winning books “Oops, I Became a Manager” and “Oops, My Team is Toxic” both focused on creating happy veterinary teams.  

She is passionate about showing what veterinary technicians and veterinary nurses can do. This website is a labor of love for the profession she has dedicated her life to.