Photo By Paul Lagasse | Sgt. Alexandra James, left, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Small Animal...... read more read more
FORT DETRICK, Md. – Animal care personnel from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases are taking advantage of a unique partnership with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences to help them obtain professional certifications that will enable them to advance in their fields while also ensuring the institute maintains its high standards of excellence and readiness.
USUHS, in collaboration with the institutes and the Defense Centers for Public Health – Aberdeen, is offering biweekly review sessions for the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician certification exam, the entry level industry standard for animal care technicians administered by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. The sessions, which are open to military, civilian and contractor animal care technicians, started in January.
By supporting the professional growth of its personnel through collaborations like this one, the Medical Research and Development Command is not only enhancing the quality of its research and animal care, but also supporting the advancement of medical research and development into life-saving treatments for our Warfighters.
“The AALAS technician certification program provides a framework for learning and serves as a source of self-confidence and professional recognition for animal technicians,” explains Lt. Col. Elliot Ramos, chief of USAMRICD’s Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Department, who teaches some of the review classes. “This program was developed to recognize professional achievement and provide an authoritative endorsement of a technician’s level of competence in laboratory animal science.”
Currently, 14 Army enlisted animal care specialists (nicknamed “68 Tangos,” per their Military Occupational Specialty) as well as civilian and contractor veterinary technicians and animal care technicians are participating in the sessions, which take place at USUHS in Bethesda, Maryland, and online. Students were tested at the outset to gauge their baseline knowledge, and they are tested every two months on their cumulative knowledge. The sessions are also recorded and uploaded to a shared drive along with class materials, so that students can review them at home or when they have free time at work.
“This is a really good opportunity for our people to not only increase their skills in the lab animal medicine community, but it also helps them with their career progression,” says Col. Amy Field, chief of USAMRICD’s Research Support Division and the institute’s attending veterinarian. “For 68 Tangos, the certification can count toward their promotion points, which certainly benefits the longevity of their Army career. When they continue on to their next assignment, they may find they are the only one in the lab with their qualifications, which is a big feather in their cap.”
The ALAT certification exam covers a technician’s knowledge of animal husbandry, health and welfare, which includes topics such as species identification, nutrition, sanitation, health, and ethical treatment. They are also tested on their knowledge of facility administration and management, which includes proper documentation and recordkeeping, data collection and analysis, equipment purchasing, equipment maintenance, and occupational health and safety. The test can be taken at any time during the year, and once obtained it is good for life, provided the technician takes regular continuing education classes to stay current. Recipients are added to the AALAS Technician Certification Registry, which represents an authoritative endorsement of their competence.
USUHS, USAMRICD, USAMRIID, and WRAIR – like all DOD laboratories engaged in animal research – are required to maintain accreditation with AAALAC International, a private nonprofit organization that promotes humane treatment of animals in science. Maj. Michael Bencivenga, the chief of training operations in USUHS’ Department of Laboratory Animal Resources, who established the biweekly ALAT review sessions, says that one of the things AAALAC looks for during oversight visits is a demonstrated commitment to going above and beyond the basic requirements for animal welfare and safety by encouraging staff to obtain AALAS certifications such as the ALAT.
“During my laboratory reviews, if I saw more than 70% of a laboratory’s caretaking personnel were certified, that would tell me that not only do they care about the mission, but that their people know what’s required to have a higher standard of care when conducting research,” says Bencivenga.
Bencivenga says that he was inspired to set up the exam prep classes because when he got out of the Army and joined the Army Reserves, he did not have marketable skills to help him land a good job. This left him feeling behind his peers and classmates who had never served.
“My ultimate goal is to ensure that every one of our 68 Tangos who gets assigned to a research facility at least achieves their ALAT certification,” says Bencivenga. “I used to be a military recruiter, and one of the biggest gripes I heard from people was that when they leave the military, they have nothing to fall back on in the civilian world. Animal technicians have great skills when they get out of the service, but without certifications many of them have a hard time finding a position in the medical profession. I want to set our Soldiers up for success.”
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.01.2025 14:15 |
| Story ID: | 494278 |
| Location: | FORT DETRICK, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 54 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Animal Tech Training Aims to Boost Retention, Readiness, by Paul Lagasse, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
