VTS in Internal Medicine: Academy of Internal Medicine Veterinary Technicians
The Academy of Internal Medicine Veterinary Technicians (AIMVT) awards the VTS in Internal Medicine, and NAVTA lists it among the fully recognized academies.
The requirement to plan around first is the experience floor: at least three years and 6,000 hours as a credentialed veterinary technician in internal medicine, completed within five years prior to application, with at least 4,500 of those hours as contact hours in your specific specialty area.
Everything else in the application, from CE to the case census, is built from that caseload.
Credential
VTS in Internal Medicine
NAVTA recognition
Full
Tracks
5
Confirm every requirement with the academy
AIMVT at a glance
The Academy of Internal Medicine Veterinary Technicians (AIMVT) awards VTS in Internal Medicine.
NAVTA recognition: full. NAVTA’s list places it under “The following Academies have met the NAVTA CVTS requirements for full recognition.”
NAVTA’s description: “AIMVT promotes interest in and advances the skills of Veterinary Technicians within the disciplines of veterinary internal medicine by providing cutting edge continuing education, working with veterinarians to advocate for superior patient care, providing client education, and ensuring consumer protection. Sub-specialties include: Cardiology, Equine Internal Medicine, Neurology, Oncology, Production Animal Internal Medicine, and Small Animal Internal Medicine.”
Tracks / sub-specialties
- Small Animal Internal Medicine
- Large Animal Internal Medicine
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Neurology
AIMVT requirements, from the academy’s own pages
Experience
AIMVT applicants need at least three years and 6,000 hours of work experience as a credentialed veterinary technician in Internal Medicine, completed within five years prior to application.
The academy’s wording
“The minimum work experience required to apply for certification as a VTS in Internal Medicine is at least three years AND 6,000 hours as a credentialed veterinary technician in the field of Internal Medicine. This experience must be completed within five years prior to application.”
Core Requirements - AIMVTExperience
Of the 6,000 required hours, AIMVT applicants must have at least 4,500 contact hours specifically in their specialty area.
The academy’s wording
“Of the 6,000 hours ( minimum ) of work as a credentialed veterinary technician in the field of veterinary internal medicine required to qualify for application, the applicant must have a minimum of 4,500 contact hours in their specific specialty area.”
Core Requirements - AIMVTCase log
AIMVT's Part 2 application, due September 30 of the application year, requires a case census and case reports.
The academy’s wording
“Part 2 (due September 30 of the application year) Case Census and Reports”
Core Requirements - AIMVTSkills list
AIMVT applicants must attest to mastery of the universal advanced skills, and 50% of the mastered skills must be cited in the case census submitted with Part 2 of the application.
The academy’s wording
“Universal Advanced Skills These are skills that Credentialed Veterinary Technicians (CrVTs) who have been working in their specialty for the minimum required three years must master prior to applying for their VTS. Mastery of these skills must be attested to and submitted as part of part 1 of the application. 50% of the mastered skills must be cited in the applicant's case census submitted in part 2 (see below).”
Core Requirements - AIMVTContinuing education
AIMVT applicants must complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education within five years of the Part 1 application date (March 15).
The academy’s wording
“You must have a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education taken/attended within five (5) years of your Part 1 application date - March 15 of your application year.”
Core Requirements - AIMVTContinuing education
At least 70% of an AIMVT applicant's required continuing education must be in the specialty of application, with up to 30% in general internal medicine.
The academy’s wording
“A minimum of 70% of the continuing education must be in the specialty of application; up to 30% of the continuing education may be in general internal medicine topics.”
Core Requirements - AIMVTLetters of recommendation
AIMVT requires two letters of recommendation, due September 1 of the application year, from a VTS member of AIMVT or a Diplomate of the American or European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (DACVIM).
The academy’s wording
“Letters of Recommendation ( due September 1st of your application year ) Two letters of recommendation from a VTS member of AIMVT, or a Diplomate of the American or European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (DACVIM).”
Core Requirements - AIMVTExam
The AIMVT certifying exam is administered via ExamSoft, and each specialty exam contains 200 questions, about 80% multiple choice.
The academy’s wording
“Exam Format: The exam is administered via ExamSoft, a digital platform used by many institutions, including for the Bar examination. Each specialty exam contains 200 questions, about 80% of which are multiple-choice.”
Exam Information - AIMVTExam
Starting in 2027, the AIMVT certifying exam is administered remotely two Saturdays before the ACVIM Forum -- the 2027 exam is set for Saturday, June 12, 2027 -- for a $250 remote-exam fee.
The academy’s wording
“Starting in 2027, the AIMVT certifying exam will be administered remotely two Saturdays prior to the start of ACVIM Forum. If that Saturday falls on the Memorial Day holiday in the US, the exam will be held on the Saturday prior to the state of ACVIM Forum. In 2027, the certifying exam will be held on Saturday June 12, 2027. The fee for the remote exam is $250”
Exam Information - AIMVTRecertification
AIMVT recertification is due once every five years, counted from the year the member passed the credentialing exam.
The academy’s wording
“Recertification is due once every five years counted from the year you passed your credentialing examination.”
Frequently Asked Recertification Questions - AIMVTEach requirement is summarised from AIMVT’s own published pages, as retrieved on the dates listed under Sources. Open “the academy’s wording” for the exact text and its source.
What the internal medicine VTS certifies
NAVTA describes AIMVT as promoting interest in and advancing the skills of veterinary technicians within the disciplines of veterinary internal medicine, through continuing education, working with veterinarians to advocate for superior patient care, client education and consumer protection.
The credential it awards is the VTS in Internal Medicine.
Read every requirement below against your specialty, not against your work as a whole: AIMVT measures a minimum of 4,500 contact hours in your specific specialty area, asks that a minimum of 70% of your continuing education be in the specialty of application, and tests each specialty with its own exam.
The five tracks, and where equine and production animal medicine sit
AIMVT organizes the credential into five tracks: Small Animal Internal Medicine, Large Animal Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Oncology and Neurology.
NAVTA's description names Equine Internal Medicine and Production Animal Internal Medicine as well; on AIMVT's own site those are classifications inside the Large Animal track, not separate tracks — VTS (LAIM) covers all large animal species, VTS (LAIM - Equine) is exclusive to equine internal medicine and surgical disease, and VTS (LAIM - Production) is exclusive to production animal internal medicine and surgical disease.
The track you choose follows you through the application: the 4,500 contact hours must sit in your specific specialty area, and the specialty exam you eventually sit is written per specialty.
3 years, 6,000 hours, and a five-year look-back
AIMVT sets two floors that both have to be met: at least three years and 6,000 hours of work as a credentialed veterinary technician in the field of Internal Medicine.
The window matters as much as the total: the experience must be completed within five years prior to application, so hours older than that look-back do not help you qualify.
Inside the 6,000, a minimum of 4,500 contact hours must be in your specific specialty area.
A technician in a mixed role can therefore clear the total and still fall short, so track your specialty-area hours separately from your total time on the floor, and run both counters against the year you plan to apply.
The application: a two-part package on a March-to-September calendar
The application runs on a calendar.
Part 1 is tied to March 15 of the application year: your attestation of mastery of the universal advanced skills is submitted as part of it, and your continuing education is counted against it — a minimum of 40 hours taken within five years of that Part 1 date, with a minimum of 70% in the specialty of application and up to 30% in general internal medicine topics.
Part 2, due September 30 of the application year, is the case census and reports, and 50% of your mastered skills must be cited in that census.
The two letters of recommendation come due even earlier, on September 1, from a VTS member of AIMVT or a Diplomate of the American or European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (DACVIM).
A 200-question exam on ExamSoft, then a 5-year recertification cycle
Each specialty exam contains 200 questions, about 80% of them multiple-choice, administered through ExamSoft.
Starting in 2027 the exam is administered remotely two Saturdays prior to the start of the ACVIM Forum, moving to the Saturday before the Forum when that date falls on the US Memorial Day holiday — the 2027 exam is set for Saturday, June 12, 2027 — and the fee for the remote exam is $250.
After passing, the credential is kept on a cycle: recertification is due once every five years, counted from the year you passed your credentialing examination.
What a recertification package must contain is detailed on AIMVT's recertification pages, so read those well before your first cycle comes due.
Pay by VTS specialty
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours do you need for the VTS in Internal Medicine?
AIMVT requires at least three years and 6,000 hours of work as a credentialed veterinary technician in the field of Internal Medicine, and all of it must be completed within five years prior to application.
Within the 6,000, a minimum of 4,500 contact hours must be in your specific specialty area.
Both floors — the years and the hours — have to be met, and the five-year window means older hours eventually age out of the count.
How is the continuing education requirement split for AIMVT applicants?
AIMVT asks for a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education taken or attended within five years of your Part 1 application date, March 15 of your application year.
Of those hours, a minimum of 70% must be in the specialty of application, and up to 30% may be in general internal medicine topics.
Plan the split as you go: CE outside your specialty of application can only fill the 30% share, so the specialty-weighted hours have to come from your own track.
Who can write the letters of recommendation for AIMVT?
Two letters of recommendation are required, due September 1 of your application year, from a VTS member of AIMVT or a Diplomate of the American or European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (DACVIM).
Because that due date lands before Part 2's September 30 case census deadline, line up your letter writers early in the application year rather than assembling them alongside the census.
When is the AIMVT certifying exam held?
Starting in 2027, the certifying exam is administered remotely two Saturdays prior to the start of the ACVIM Forum — moving to the Saturday before the Forum when that date falls on the US Memorial Day holiday; in 2027 it falls on Saturday, June 12, 2027.
The exam runs through ExamSoft, and each specialty exam contains 200 questions, about 80% of which are multiple-choice.
The fee for the remote exam is $250.
Check AIMVT's exam page each cycle, because the date moves with the ACVIM Forum calendar.
How often does a VTS in Internal Medicine have to recertify?
Once every five years, counted from the year you passed your credentialing examination — so the cycle is anchored to your exam year, not to a fixed calendar date.
AIMVT's recertification pages lay out what each cycle requires; check them well before your first due date.
More VTS Resources
Sources
- NAVTA — List of Approved Academies (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- AIMVT — Core Requirements (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- AIMVT — Exam Information (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- AIMVT — Recertification FAQs (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- AIMVT — Large Animal Internal Medicine (retrieved 2026-09-23)
Academy list: NAVTA, retrieved 2026-09-23. Page last updated 2026-09-23.