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What is credentialing and why is it important?
At Rio Verde University, the College of Veterinary Sciences offers a
host of support programs for the individual who desires to either
begin or expand on a career in animal health and care.
There are specialized classes, online programs, distance learning
CD’s, interactive, and blog opportunities within the umbrella of
this vast arena of education. A student has an almost unlimited
amount of options that may be resultant of the completion of one or
more the animal care programs available. RVU is please to host the
copyrighted Veterinary Assistant program offered by the Institute
for Animal Care Careers. In addition, courses utilized by the
Federal Government Distance Learning Association (i.e. Armed Forces
Personnel, US Government Employees and Families, and others), and
programs under the auspice of the NHEA (National Health Education
Association) are but a click away, in many cases.
Several of the programs offered by RVU-College of Veterinary
Sciences come in the form of certificate or CEU form. Others such as
those courses completed in the College in a Day© program come with
college earned credit hour(s) in addition to certifications of
completion. (Note-transferability of some of these hours may be
limited or unavailable. It is advisable for you the student, to
contact the potential transferring institution to verify the credit
hour transferability of each course taken).
Some occupations have certain professional and technical standards.
At this current time the Animal Caretaker and Veterinary Assistant
programs do NOT require state or federal licensure (04-2008). But,
the completion of these programs may greatly assist the student in
finding employment within the Veterinary practice field. With the
successful completion of defined certification programs however, the
student will find (s)he is in greater demand, as this field
continues to grow. Some of the programs offered at RVU can lead to
different recognized credentials. The process of meeting these
standards and earning official recognition (in the form of
credentials– licenses or certifications) is called credentialing.
Private and government organizations set credentialing standards to
ensure that individuals meet the standards for their profession.
These organizations are generally called credentialing boards.
Licensure and certification are the two primary types of
credentialing.
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Licensure – Governmental agencies—federal, state, or
local—grant licenses to individuals to practice a specific
occupation, such as a medical license for doctors. State or
federal laws or regulations define the standards that
individuals must meet to become licensed. Licenses are
typically mandatory.
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Certification – Non-governmental agencies,
associations, and even private sector companies may grant
certifications to individuals who meet predetermined
qualifications. These qualifications are generally set by
professional associations (for example, National Commission
for Certification of Crane Operators) or by industry and
product-related organizations (for example, Novell Certified
Engineer). Certification is typically an optional
credential, although some state licensure boards and
some employers may require certification. For many
occupations, more than one organization may offer
certifications.
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are important: |
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They add credibility
Proof of proficiency
Verification of program completion
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A basis of training education |
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Credentialing is important for several
reasons:
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Federal, state, or local law may require specific
credentials to legally perform some jobs.
Employers may choose to hire only employees who have certain
credentials, or to pay those employees more. |
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