The College must receive the resident’s credentials, detailing completion of all training requirements and required fee on or before August 1st of the year prior to that of the planned board-certification examination.
Credentials Submission
The following items are required when submitting residency credentials:
Residency Credentials Submission Form
A completed and signed Residency Credentials Submission Form
Credentials Submission Fee
A credentials submission fee
Residency Training Program Master Log
A copy of Residency Training Program Master Log documenting successful completion of training
Peer-Reviewed Publication
PDF of peer-reviewed publication. If the manuscript is not yet in print, then a letter indicating unconditional acceptance of the manuscript by the journal editor needs to be included together with an electronic copy of the manuscript.
Letter of Recommendation / Program Director
One letter of recommendation from an active diplomate who served as aresident program director that states a successful completion of the residency training program and the date of completion. The resident program director is required to verify the applicant’s expertise and time commitment to clinical cases involving canine or equine sports medicine and rehabilitation.
Letters of Recommendation / Diplomates
Two letters of recommendation from active diplomates of ABVS-recognized colleges who have sufficient experience working with the applicant to verify the applicant’s expertise and time commitment to clinical cases involving canine or equine sports medicine and rehabilitation
IMPORTANT DETAILS
Late, incomplete, or incorrectly formatted credentials submissions will not be reviewed and the resident will need to resubmit their credentials the following year. Credential submission fees will not be refunded if the resident or candidate is determined not to be eligible or qualified to take the board-certification examination.
The Board of Directors upon recommendation by the Credentials and Residency Committee makes eligibility rulings. Candidates will be notified of the approval status to take the board-certification examination within 60 days after the deadline for credentials submission. The College requires that the candidate obtain and keep with their records written proof of electronic submission for use if any questions arise regarding credentials submission documents or dates.
IMPORTANT DETAILS
Candidates failing to pass one or both parts of the board-certification examination must reapply to the College within five (5) years by providing a formal letter requesting application for re-examination. If one portion of the examination is not successfully completed, then only that portion will need to be retaken at the next offering of the board-certification examinations. Both portions of the board-certification examination must be passed within a period of five (5) years from acceptance of credentials, and candidates are allowed three (3) attempts to pass both sections within the five (5) year period. If a candidate has not successfully passed both portions of the examination within five (5) years after acceptance of their credentials, then they must resubmit their credentials for re-approval for examination under their initial credential requirements.
PREPARING FOR THE EXAM
To prepare for the examination, applicants may wish to review the following rubrics and reading lists:
- Core Topic Rubric & Reading List
- Canine Topic Rubric & Reading List
- Equine Topic Rubric & Reading List
- Approved Journal List
Taking the Exam
The 2019 board-certification examination will be held February 6-8, 2019 in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Exam registration and payment are due by 11:59 pm Mountain Time (MT) October 15.
After an applicant submits credentials and receives confirmation that they are approved, an applicant must submit the Examination Registration Form and pay the examination fee. Please DO NOT submit the registration form or payment before credentials are approved.
ABOUT THE EXAM
The examination consists of a written examination consisting of two portions:
- Core Knowledge
All candidates are required to take the core knowledge examination, which contains questions on basic physiological, medical, surgical and rehabilitation knowledge. - Species-Specific Examination (i.e. canine or equine)
This examination is species-specific with candidates taking either the canine or the equine portion of the examination.
Candidates must pass both the core knowledge examination and one of the species-specific examinations to earn diplomate status.
Examinees will receive notification of the results (i.e., pass, fail) of their examination within forty- five (45) days of the examination.