VASTA SCHOOL — Greece
Advance Your Anaesthesia Skills. Earn Certification. Rise with VASTA.
VASTA Greece – Advancing Veterinary Anaesthesia in the Mediterranean
VASTA Greece is proud to offer internationally recognized veterinary anaesthesia education in Thessaloniki, combining high-quality teaching, hands-on training, and structured certification for veterinary professionals seeking to deepen their skills in anaesthesia and pain management. The course was first launched in 2023 and has been very successful ever since.
The full 6-module course is held in Thessaloniki, with theoretical and practical classes taking place at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
While lectures are taught in English, our Greek teachers are on hand to ensure every participant feels fully included.
Dr Kelly Pavlidou
DVM, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, Veterinary School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
“Why VASTA? VASTA provides internationally recognized, certified anaesthesia education through a high-quality programme. Flexible for every vet that works in clinical practice and is interested in the field of anaesthesia.”
The course consists of six 2.5-day modules, spread over approximately one year. There are separate cohorts for veterinarians and veterinary nurses, with each group receiving content tailored to their clinical role. Each of the six modules delivers approximately 20 hours of structured, in-person learning, including formal assessments, practical sessions, and pre/post-course assignments. See the upcoming course dates below.
Qualifications: CVAP and VAT
All veterinarians, veterinary nurses and veterinary technicians attend the same VASTA course. The curriculum, teaching hours, practical training and depth of the educational content are the same for all participants.
The final examination is adapted to the participant's professional qualification. Veterinarians and veterinary nurses or technicians enter the course with different educational backgrounds, professional responsibilities and scopes of practice. The examinations therefore assess the same course content at a level appropriate to each professional group.
Participants who successfully complete the course and pass the relevant examination receive one of the following titles:
• CVAP – Certified Veterinary Anaesthesia Practitioner, awarded to veterinarians
• VAT – Veterinary Anaesthesia Technician, awarded to veterinary nurses and technicians
Previously, all successful participants in the VASTA course in Greece received the VAT title, regardless of their professional role. This meant that veterinarians were also certified as Veterinary Anaesthesia Technicians, which did not accurately reflect their veterinary qualification or professional responsibility.
The introduction of two titles allows us to recognise both professional groups appropriately. Veterinary nurses and technicians play an essential role in anaesthesia, but their education, permitted responsibilities and decision-making authority may differ from those of a veterinarian. The certification structure reflects these differences while maintaining the same standard and depth of course education.
The CVAP certification also acknowledges that veterinarians are expected to assume greater responsibility for clinical assessment, anaesthetic planning, medical decision-making and management of complications. VAT-certified nurses and technicians are trained to recognise risks, provide high-quality anaesthesia support and seek assistance or advice from an appropriately trained veterinarian when a decision falls outside their professional scope.
Veterinarians who completed the course in previous years and received the VAT title may choose to transition to the CVAP certification by sitting and passing an additional written examination. This option will be available during the scheduled examination sessions up to and including 2028.
Graduates of previous course editions who would like to update their title should contact the VASTA team by email.
Upcoming course dates
- Module 1: 20–22 March 2026
- Module 2: 19–21 June 2026
- Module 3: 11–13 September 2026
- Module 4: 6–8 November 2026
- Module 5: 29–31 January 2027
- Module 6: 12–14 March 2027
- Exam: 19–21 May 2027
- Module 1: 21–23 May 2027
Faculty in Greece
Prof. Ioannis Savvas is Professor of Veterinary Anaesthesia at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, where he earned his DVM and Doctoral Diploma in Veterinary Anaesthesia. He has trained at Cornell University, the Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien, and Ghent University. His research focuses on gastro-oesophageal reflux during anaesthesia, perioperative analgesia, shock, and pulmonary atelectasis. He also runs the Pain Service at the school's Companion Animal Clinic.
Dr. Kyriaki Pavlidou (Kelly) is a veterinary anaesthesiologist and intensive care specialist based in Thessaloniki, Greece, with over 15 years of clinical, academic, and research experience in small animal anaesthesia, analgesia, and intensive care. She holds a PhD from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and an MSc in Medical Research Methodology. She heads the Anaesthesia & ICU at Plakentia Veterinary Clinic and has taught in VASTA courses since 2023.
Peter Kronen is the founder of VAS-International and founder and director of VASTA, the only internationally operating executive school for veterinarians and nurses in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia. Trained at the Universities of Pisa, Munich, Harvard, Cornell, and UC Davis, he served as head of service at the University of Berne before founding VAS-International. In 2023, he was rated 3rd in Entrepreneur Mirror's global innovative entrepreneurial rating.
Course location
School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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