WHAT IS A
VETERINARY PROFESSIONAL?

There are many types of animal healthcare workers including veterinary professionals, allied animal healthcare professionals, and paraprofessionals. Knowing the difference is helpful in distinguishing these roles.

What is a professional?

A professional is qualified, broadly skilled, and engaged in the profession as their job. They are responsible for their own continuing education and professional registration. They have a lot of autonomy and responsibility in their job role. Professionalism usually entails having representation by a professional body that advocates for, and promotes high standards for the profession. It also usually entails having a regulatory framework.

Veterinary nurses and technicians are professionals

In New Zealand, veterinarians are the only professional role in the veterinary team that has legislated regulation however, veterinary nurses have voluntary regulation here under AVPRC as well as representation from NZVNA. See About Regulation to read more about regulation vs representation.

What is a paraprofessional?

A paraprofessional is trained or qualified to assist a professional, working in a supportive role, handling basic patient care needs that are delegated to them by veterinary nurses, technicians, and veterinarians.

Animal healthcare assistants are paraprofessionals

A formal qualification is usually not required to work in a paraprofessional role and there is usually no requirement to complete continuing education or professional registration (although these are highly recommended to improve effectiveness, and job satisfaction).

What is an allied veterinary professional?

The term allied veterinary professional is an encompassing term that helps to define a range of non-veterinarian roles in the animal healthcare team. It encompases veterinary professions and allied animal healthcare practitioners into one succinct title.

Naming conventions in healthcare define professionals such as doctors and nurses as well as allied healthcare workers who have a narrower scope of practice (e.g. radiography technicians, phlebotomists, anaesthesia technicians, etc). We combined the terms ‘professional’ and ‘allied’ into one title to make the name of the organisation more inclusive of both sides of the sector, creating the term allied veterinary professional (AVP). The AVP title is taking on a life of its own and is now used to talk about any animal healthcare worker including veterinary professionals (nurses and technicians), animal healthcare professionals (physios, rehab techs, equine dental techs), and paraprofessionals including healthcare assistants.

What is the difference between these roles?

See Roles and Responsibilities for information on how the various roles differ in the animal healthcare team.