ABVP Board Certification

1
ABVP Board Certification
2
Mission and Meaning
What is ABVPs mission? To advance the quality of
veterinary medicine through certification of
veterinarians who demonstrate excellence in
species-oriented clinical practice.
What does certification mean?
.Diplomates have demonstrated excellence in the
care of the total patient. .Certification
provides professional and public recognition of
advanced knowledge, skills and competency in a
species category. .Diplomate status is granted
with approval of the American Board of Veterinary
Specialties (ABVS).
3
History
Proposal accepted by the ABVS governed by the AVMA
Avian Practice added
Beef Cattle Practice added
Swine Health Management added
Reptile and Amphibian Practice added
Dairy Practice added
1978
1991
1993
1994
1997
2010
1981
1995
2009
First exam to 103 candidates 41 pass. Exams
given in Companion Animal, Equine and Food Animal
Feline Practice added. Companion Animal becomes
Canine and Feline
Exotic Companion Mammal Practice added
4
906 Diplomates in Good Standing

• Canine and Feline 482
• Avian 139
• Equine 95
• Feline 82
• Dairy 38
• Food Animal 22
• Swine Health Mgt 18
• ECM 13
• Beef Cattle 12
• Reptile Amphibian 5
• 
  

All are dedicated to improvement, are
self-motivated and increasingly valued in their
profession.
5
Map of Diplomates
14
7
21
22
17
32
4
15
4
Northeast CT, 6 DE, 4 MA, 19 ME, 5 MD, 22 NH,
7 NJ, 19 NY, 60 PA, 26 RI, 5 VA, 20 VT, 1 WV, 1
2
18
10
2
5
5
27
13
23
112
21
25
31
10
14
4
18
6
8
4
International Canada, 51 Hong Kong, 1 Italy,
1 Israel, 2 Australia, 1
71
70
2
4
11
6
Why Choose Certification?

• Next step for clinicians in high quality practice
• Certifies practitioners with skill, knowledge and
  competency in the care of the total patient
• Demands continued self-improvement
• Increased financial gain (AVMA 2009)
• Improved professional opportunities

7
Eligibility Requirements

• 1) To be eligible for ABVP certification,
  veterinarians must hold one (1) of the following
• Valid diploma (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or
  equivalent) from an AVMA-accredited or
  AVMA-listed college of veterinary medicine, or
• Certificate from the ECFVG, or
• License to practice in the United States or any
  other country
• 2) Veterinarians must complete five (5) years of
  clinical practice experience before application
  and six (6) years of clinical practice experience
  before examination.
• 3) Veterinarians in the residency track
  (ABVP-approved residencies only) must complete a
  one (1) year rotating internship or one (1) year
  of practice experience and at least one (1) year
  of the residency program before application. All
  of the residency program requirements must be
  fulfilled before examination.

8
Application Process Timeline

• First-time application form and fee due Sep 1
• Resubmit application and fee due Jan 15
• Credentials packet due Jan 15
• Notification of results by Jun 1
• Study, Study, Study
• Register for exam by Sep 1
• Exam 1st or 2nd weekend in Nov (Chicago)

9
Application Form Includes

• Due September 1
• Self explanatory and includes
• Contact information
• Listing of current position(s)
• Graduation year and school
• Listing of state license(s)
• Designation of specialty category to which you
  are applying
• Fee
• You will submit two (2) copies of the application
  form along with the fee
• Important Once your first-time application and
  fee are received in the ABVP office, you have
  three (3) years to complete the credentialing
  process. If you do not successfully complete this
  process in the allotted three (3) years, you must
  start the process over from the beginning by
  submitting a new application and application
  fee. 

10
Credentials Packet Includes

• Due January 15
• Veterinary Diploma photocopy Two (2) copies
• Curriculum Vitae Two (2) copies
• Synopsis of Veterinary Practice Two (2) copies
• Self-Report Job Experience Two (2) copies
• Continuing Education Documentation Two (2)
  copies
• Applicant Evaluation Forms (3) One (1) copy
  each
• Case Reports (2) Five (5) copies each
• OR
• Case Report (1) and Publication (1) Five (5)
  copies each

11
The Curriculum Vitae Includes

• Personal Information
• Professional Information
• Veterinary training
• Publications
• Memberships
• Leadership
• Honors and awards
• Community activities

12
Applicant Evaluations

• Three (3) evaluations required
• One MUST be from a Board Certified Diplomate
• Any ABVS recognized specialist is acceptable
• Completed evaluations should be returned to the
  applicant in a sealed envelope and marked
  confidential. It is the applicants
  responsibility to enclose all three (3)
  evaluations with his/her credentials packet.

13
Choose Your Cases Carefully!

• Do not choose an unusual case
• Must have adequate literature review
• Demonstrate a logical thought process
• Must be well defended
• Use cases that relate to your practice category
• Follow ABVP guidelines!
• The most common reason for failing to credential
  is inadequate case reports!
• Both case reports must pass to qualify for the
  board certifying exams OR both your case report
  and publication

14
Writing the Case Report

• Two (2) case reports personally diagnosed and
  treated (in practice category)
• Reports must illustrate different topics and
  types of cases
• Demonstrate professional expertise
• Cases must have been seen within the past five
  (5) years
• Submissions must be in ABVP-specified format
  which differs from professional journals. See
  the Applicant Handbook for details.
• Important It is highly advised and recommended
  that you begin writing your case reports before
  submitting your application and application fee.

15
Show What You Know

• Significant presenting signs
• Diagnostic characteristics
• Problem lists
• Pathophysiology
• Differential diagnoses
• Treatments
• Management options

16
Show What You Have Done

• Table for ALL lab work
• Supporting visual aids (photos, imaging,
  graphics, tables, copies of radiographs)
• Correct terminology
• Citation of products
• Citation of references
• Do not send original dx records

17
Follow Instructions

• Proper format (Anonymity!)
• Double spaced, quality paper and printing,
• numbered pages
• All five (5) copies of original quality
• Check spelling
• Keep a copy for your files!
• Check web site for updates
• Always follow the directions in the Applicant
  Handbook

18
Case Report Review

• Study Groups and Mentors are available from ABVP
• Outside review is encouraged
• Grammar and syntax important
• Professional editing allowed
• Choose outside reviewers carefully
• (they offer an opinion, not a guarantee)
• This is your work to become a Diplomate,
• take pride in it!

19
Refereed Publication

• What constitutes a refereed publication?
• Applicant must be first author
• Topic of publication must make a meaningful
  contribution to the literature of the species
  specialty to which you are seeking certification
• The topic must be different than that of the case
  report
• Must be published within five (5) years prior to
  the January 15 deadline
• Manuscript must be in a refereed English language
  scientific journal

20
Refereed Publication

• What does NOT constitute a refereed publication?
• Conference proceedings and online publications
  are generally not accepted
• Clinical vignettes, short/brief communications,
  and serial features (e.g., ECG of the Month, Drug
  Topic of the Month, Whats Your Diagnosis) are
  generally not permitted
• Narrative review articles are not permitted

21
Refereed Publication

• When and how to submit your publication
• Must submit an official letter from the journal
  verifying the acceptance of the manuscript or two
  (2) copies of the manuscript
• Manuscript must be fully accepted for publication
  prior to the January 15 credentials submission
  deadline
• Submit with your Credentials Packet due January
  15
• NOTE Acceptance of a publication in a refereed
  (peer-reviewed) scientific journal does not
  guarantee the manuscript will be admissible to
  use in lieu of an ABVP-style case report

22
The Review Process
The Credentials Committee evaluates and scores
each application. By June 1, applicants will be
informed if their credentials have been accepted
or rejected.
Manuscripts
Reviewer 1
Reviewer 3
Reviewer 2
Credentials Vice-Chair evaluates packet and
summarizes comments
Credentials Chair
23
The Unified Examination

• One Time. One Place.

• All category exams taken at the same time
• Weekend only - Fly In, Fly Out
• Central location - Chicago OHare Marriott
• Friday evening, all day Saturday, Sunday morning
• November each year

Exception Swine Health Management exams are
given at the annual AASV conference
24
Studying for the Exam

• Hints for how to study
• Have a systematic organized plan
• Start early
• Read frequently
• Recognize and develop your weak areas
• Use active cases to learn and reinforce knowledge

• Hints for what to study
• General Texts, Medical Dictionary
• Physiology Guyton or Ganong
• Practice category reading lists (available on
  website)
• Professional peer-reviewed publications within
  species category
• Other resources Web based, etc.

25
Examination Format

• Friday evening 500 p.m.
• Practicals
• Saturday morning 800 a.m.
• Specialty, Part I
• Saturday afternoon 200 p.m.
• Specialty, Part II
• Sunday morning 800 a.m.
• Practicals

Check in begins 30 minutes before examination time
26
Swine Health Management

• Submit an entrant exam application and fee (110)
  by January 15
• Pass the entry examination given at the Annual
  AASV Convention
• Establish a formal mentor
• Submit a plan of study within three (3) months of
  passing entrant exam
• Advisory period normally lasts three (3) years
• Three (3) publications are required for
  credentialing. Two (2) case reports and one (1)
  publication in a refereed journal
• Once credentials are accepted, register for exam
  by September 1. SHM Exam given at the Annual
  AASV Convention
• Exam is three (3) parts (1) Oral exam
  (multi-subject info) (2) Problem solving (record
  review, analysis) (3) Essay (core information)

27
ABVP Fees

• Application fee... 330
• Re-application fee.. 220
• Examination... 440
• Re-examination... . 440
• Recertification 275
• Diplomate Renewal.. 220
• Updated 1/2011

ABVP certification is something that I am
incredibly proud of, and also something that my
clients are incredibly proud of. They love to
brag that they have one of the limited number of
feline specialists in the country. If they think
I'm that great, I had better live up to
it! -Renee Rucinsky, DVM, DABVP (Feline)
I originally became boarded to satisfy my
personal goals, but have discovered a group of
like minded individuals in different species
groups to become my friends! -John Dascanio,
DVM, DABVP (Equine)
28
16th Annual Symposium
Open to all Veterinarians and Veterinary
Technicians!
Registration is Now Open! Visit www.abvp.com for
more details!

• 8 Tracks
• Avian
• Canine
• Equine
• Exotic
• Feline
• Food Animal
• Reptile/Amphibian
• Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Clinical
  Practice

• 21 Speakers Including
• Paul Bloom, DVM, DABVP, DACVD
• Vittorio Capello, DVM, DABVP, DECZM
• Ryan DeVoe, DVM, DABVP, DACZM
• Jill Heatley, DVM, MS, DABVP, DACZM
• Robert Washabau, VMD, PhD, DACVIM
• Vicki Wilke, DVM, PhD, DACVS

• NEW!
• Regent Receptions
• Exotic Companion Mammal Wet Lab
• 12 full hours of Reptile/Amphibian
• AVTCP

29
Contact Information

• American Board of Veterinary Practitioners
• 618 Church Street, Suite 220
• Nashville, TN 37219
• 800.697.3583 www.abvp.com abvp_at_xmi-amc.com