2008 Certifying Examination

Address examination correspondence to:
Dr. Derek A. Mosier
ACVP Secretary/Treasurer
Kansas State University
Department of Diagnostic Medicine & Pathology
College of Veterinary Medicine
Manhattan, KS 66506
Phone: 785-532-4410
Fax: 785-532-4039
Email: dmosier@vet.k-state.edu

Address all other correspondence to:
Wendy Coe, Executive Director
American College of Veterinary Pathologists
2810 Crossroads Drive, Suite 3800
Madison, WI 53718
Phone: 608-443-2466 ext 149
Fax: 608-443-2474
Email: wcoe@acvp.org

The American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) is an international organization for those specializing in veterinary and comparative pathology. The College was incorporated in 1949 with the objectives to further scientific progress in veterinary pathology; to establish standards of training, experience, and examinations for qualification as specialists in veterinary pathology; and to further the recognition of such qualified specialists by certification and other means.

The mission of the College is to improve and protect human and animal health for the betterment of society through excellence in veterinary pathology. The College promotes the advancement and sharing of knowledge, life-long learning and professional competency through its certifying examinations, educational programs, and journal. Integrity and respect for diversity are core values of the College. The College's vision is to be the leading organization in advancement of comparative medical knowledge.

The College certifies specialists in veterinary anatomic and clinical pathology. Veterinary pathologists recognized through certification participate in diverse activities including diagnosis of spontaneous diseases, training of veterinarians and pathologists, public health and regulatory activities, and biomedical research. Employers include academic institutions, corporate and private practice, diagnostic laboratories, zoos, and government, including regulatory agencies and the Armed Forces (see table on back). Many members are employed by or otherwise serve the pharmaceutical industry in support of drug discovery and safety assessment. Members are found in countries worldwide, including Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Jordan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, West Indies, and the United Kingdom.

APPLICATION FOR 2008 CERTIFYING EXAMINATIONS
The application form, available in PDF Format from the ACVP website, requires the signature of a Diplomate of the College who certifies that training has been adequate to permit sitting for the examination. An application is valid for only one year except for repeat candidates (see "Results of the Examination").

The signing sponsor should be the person most responsible for the candidate's training, not necessarily the nearest Diplomate. When this is not possible, the applicant should provide an appropriate explanation to the Council. In cases where the supervisor of training is not a Diplomate of the ACVP, the signature of a Diplomate must be obtained which signifies that the training has been reviewed for adequacy and is consistent with the requirements of the College. Diplomates of the European College of Veterinary Pathologists who were elected to the ECVP by examination may act as sponsors for ACVP examination candidates. Applications bearing such ECVP sponsor signatures do not need a co-signature by an ACVP Diplomate.

Completed application forms accompanied by a fee of $600, U.S. currency, must be received in the Secretary/Treasurer's office postmarked by January 10, 2008. No exceptions will be made to this deadline. It is highly recommended that applications be sent via certified mail, FedEx or other secure mail carrier providing a traceable receipt. ACVP will send a surface mail letter acknowledging receipt of the application generally within one week. Eligibility to sit the examination is determined by the Council in February; applicants are promptly notified as to acceptance. If the applicant's credentials are not accepted, or if a candidate's request to withdraw from the examination is postmarked by March 15, fees are refunded, except for a 10% processing charge. No refunds are made after this date, and no fees may be carried over to be applied toward an exam in a subsequent year.

An individual who has received an unfavorable ruling regarding qualifications to sit the examination may appeal this decision. Such an appeal must be received in writing by the Secretary/Treasurer within 30 days of the date of the letter informing the individual of the unfavorable decision.

DISABILITIES
Unless the ACVP is advised before the examination of any need for accommodations due to disabilities, the availability of services on site cannot be guaranteed. The need for accommodations due to disability should be specified in writing and accompany the application for examination. Requests for accommodations must be accompanied by a signed statement from a licensed or qualified professional with expertise and familiarity with this disability and its impact on the candidate's ability to perform on a test such as the ACVP's certifying examination. The signed statement with a comprehensive diagnostic report should verify the existence of the disability, specify how the disability would interfere with the examination process, and recommend accommodations. A record of accommodations made by the pathology training program should be included.

TRAINING & PREPARATION FOR THE CERTIFYING EXAMINATIONS
Requirements of Board Examination
The following prerequisites must be met to the satisfaction of the Council before any candidate is eligible to sit any board examination in veterinary pathology. An eligible candidate must:

• Have satisfactory standing in the profession.
• Have graduated from a college or school of veterinary medicine accredited or approved by the AVMA, or possess a certificate issued by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG), or be legally qualified to practice veterinary medicine in some state, province, territory or possession of the United States, Canada, or other country.
• Complete either the standard or alternate routes of training as described below.

Goal of Training
The goal of this training should be to acquire knowledge sufficient to assume responsibility for the broad spectrum of assessment and interpretation of specimens, problems and situations encountered by veterinary pathologists.

Responsibility of the Training Institution
The training should include daily participation in, and responsibility for, some portion(s) of pathology service, teaching, or research. The training should offer academic studies designed to provide adequate understanding of the basic principles of pathology and provide facilities and case materials for the trainee to gain practical experience in performing professional duties. These should include the application of all standard methods and procedures of pathology to any given case, to demonstrate the pathogenesis and cause of the existing disease process and make a diagnosis. For veterinary pathology, this usually relates to the performance and interpretation of gross, histopathologic, histochemical, immunohistochemical, molecular biological and ultrastructural examinations and correlating results with clinical findings and clinical laboratory data. For veterinary clinical pathology, this usually relates to the interpretation of cytologic, biochemical, immunological and molecular biological examinations of blood, urine, exudates, and other specimens obtained from the animal, as well as histopathologic evaluation of surgical biopsy specimens. Interpretation includes correlating test results with clinical findings. While the pathologist need not be technically proficient in the performance of laboratory procedures, thorough familiarity with the methods, uses, limitations, and applications of such tests, and the ability to supervise the performance of these procedures, and interpret the results are required.

Training institutions should provide library resources that include current journals and reference texts commonly used by veterinary pathologists and access to computerized literature searches. In addition, archival case materials or organized study sets containing case materials should be available.

Responsibility of the Mentor (Supervisor)
In the standard route of training, the mentor needs to be a Diplomate of the ACVP with certification in the field in which the candidate wishes to train. The mentor or mentor's peer(s) should be available to the trainee on a daily basis for consultation and advice. The mentor must take an active role in supervising the trainee's studies and providing specific guidance in preparation for the ACVP certifying examination. The mentor, in conjunction with the trainee, is encouraged to establish a plan of study at the beginning of the training period. This plan should clearly state when the trainee could be expected to be fully prepared to take the certifying examination of the ACVP. This plan should be re-assessed yearly.

Responsibility of the Candidate
The level of responsibility on the trainees for their own education is high and demands extensive independent study of specimens for diagnosis and interpretation, texts, journals, and consultation with pathologists, clinicians and other specialists. Supplementary participation as a student in lectures or participation in seminars may be useful; however, this should not be the major emphasis of the training. The trainee's clinical experience, while not precisely specified, can be an important part in some aspects of the practice of veterinary pathology, veterinary clinical pathology and the ACVP certifying examination. The certifying examination is the culmination of years of intensive preparation involving a wide range of animal species. A final phase of concentrated study can generally be successful only if the preceding training has been suitable in breadth and depth.

Definition of the Standard Route of Training
For the standard route, supervised training acceptable to Council is directed by a Diplomate of the ACVP and takes place in an institution that trains veterinary pathologists as one of its primary functions. The training should engage the trainees in the broad spectrum of the practice of veterinary pathology. The candidate must complete a minimum of 36 months of such training subsequent to graduation from veterinary school and all 36 months should be in the field in which certification is sought (Veterinary Pathology or Veterinary Clinical Pathology). It is the opinion of Council that a minimum of 36 months is required for the candidate to: assimilate and utilize the base of knowledge necessary for the practice of veterinary pathology or veterinary clinical pathology; acquire the skills to critically evaluate new data and current literature; and make informed conclusions on how this new information integrates into the practice of veterinary pathology or veterinary clinical pathology.

Definition of Alternate Route of Training
Supervised training acceptable to Council is considered an alternate route if any part of the training takes place under a mentor who is not a Diplomate of the ACVP or at an institution that does not train veterinary pathologists as one of its primary functions. Training by an alternate route will require a minimum of 48 months subsequent to graduation from veterinary school. Twelve of the 48 months must be spent in training under the supervision of a Diplomate of the ACVP. All 48 months must be in the field in which certification is sought (Veterinary Pathology or Veterinary Clinical Pathology).

THE 2008 CERTIFYING EXAMINATIONS
Candidates for certification may be examined either in Veterinary Pathology or in Veterinary Clinical Pathology. The examinations are conducted in English. Each examination consists of four parts (see below). One of these parts, General Pathology, is common to both examinations; it consists of 100 multiple choice questions, each designed to include significant choices for discrimination. Each part is assembled to achieve balance as to species, cell or organ system, disease process and type of question. The candidate is reminded that only the total score on each part is used to determine competency.

Diplomates certified in either Veterinary Pathology or in Veterinary Clinical Pathology may seek certification in the other discipline. Such Diplomates may serve as their own sponsor and may seek further certification at their own discretion. Otherwise, the application and examination procedures for such candidates are the same as those for other candidates, with the exception that they are not required to repeat the General Pathology section.

Veterinary Pathology
Candidates for certification as "Veterinary Pathologist" will be examined in four areas: (1) General Pathology, (2) Gross Pathology, (3) Microscopic Pathology, and (4) Veterinary Pathology. The Gross Pathology section consists of 100 questions regarding projected images. The Histopathology section is composed of 20 questions. At least 17 are stained tissue sections (potentially including blood and tissue smears). The remaining slides may be concerned with evaluation of other diagnostic techniques, such as immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, or in situ hybridization. Answers on a given portion of the examination (e.g. slide) are graded by the same individual to ensure uniform grading.

In the Veterinary Pathology section, candidates will be required to take a module in Clinical Pathology plus three additional modules of their choice from the following list of four: (1) Large Animal Pathology, (2) Dog and Cat Pathology, (3) Laboratory Animal Pathology, or (4) Nonmammalian, Exotic, Wildlife and Zoo Animal Pathology. Each module contains 50 multiple choice questions. Candidates are required to indicate the modules they intend to take on the examination application form. Candidates repeating the Veterinary Pathology section will be subject to this format regardless of how this section was constituted when they took it in a previous year(s). Repeat candidates may select any three of the four modules in subsequent attempts. In preparation for the examination, candidates should concentrate on the modules they intend to select, but not to the exclusion of the others. Candidates are advised that questions in other sections of the examination (General Pathology, Microscopic Pathology, or Gross Pathology) may relate to species or disciplines covered in any module of the Veterinary Pathology section. Successful candidates will be certified as Veterinary Pathologists; certificates will not reflect which modules were selected by candidates and will not imply subspecialty (by species or discipline) status.

Veterinary Clinical Pathology
Candidates for certification as "Veterinary Clinical Pathologist" will be examined in (1) General Pathology, (2) Hematology, (3) Clinical Biochemistry, and (4) Cytology-Surgical Pathology (CSP).

The Clinical Biochemistry section is composed of 50 multiple choice questions and four cases discussed by essay. The cases involve integrated interpretation of biochemical, hematologic, and urinalysis data. Both the hematology and cytology-surgical pathology sections comprise three subsections. Hematology has approximately 40 multiple choice questions, 22 questions on projected images, and 10 microscopic slides, whereas CSP has approximately 25, 25, and 15, respectively. Electron photomicrographs of hematologic, cytologic, or relevant surgical pathology specimens may be included in the projected image or microscopic slide portions of the Hematology or CSP sections of the examination.

Histopathology is included in the veterinary clinical pathology examination. The requirement is the recognition of basic processes. Body systems examined are those on which cytology is commonly performed. Twenty to 30 percent of the written questions, projected images and glass slides of the CSP exam relate to histopathology.

Withdrawal / Illness
Withdrawal prior to the examination, or failure to appear for the examination, will not constitute an attempt to sit all or any part(s) of the exam, but will count as one of the years for which repeat candidates are eligible to pass any previously failed part(s). A candidate's illness during preparation for, or during the actual examination, will not be considered a valid reason to waive the rules of the College. In the event a candidate starts, but is unable to complete the examination, results will be determined for all sections for which the candidate is scheduled, regardless of the number of sections completed.

RESULTS OF THE EXAMINATION
Candidates are required to complete satisfactorily all parts of the specific certification examination. Pass-fail line is determined prior to the examination. A grade of 60% or better is a passing mark. Successful candidates are certified as "Veterinary Pathologist" or as "Veterinary Clinical Pathologist." All certified persons are designated as Diplomates of The American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

A candidate who takes all four parts of the examination and passes two or three parts retains credit for the parts passed for the next four years. Two additional attempts are permitted within these four years. Candidates who wish to retake the part(s) failed must announce their intentions in a letter received by the Secretary/Treasurer, postmarked no later than January 10th of the year in which they wish to retake the examination, accompanied by the certifying examination fee.

Candidates who do not pass the failed parts within the four successive examinations as described above must reapply as new candidates and retake all parts. (See "Application for Certification" section for date, fee and instructions. A new application form is required.) All such candidates must submit with their application an outline of a proposed or completed program of additional study (see below for details).

Candidates who attempt all parts of the examination and who fail three or four parts must reapply as new candidates (for date and instructions see "Application for Certification" section) and must retake all parts of the examination. All such candidates must submit a new application form, the certifying examination fee, and an outline of a proposed, or completed, program of additional study (covering at least the time from filing the application to the next examination). The study program must be signed by the sponsor and submitted with the application and fee which must be received by the Secretary/Treasurer and postmarked no later than January 10, of the examination year. Completion of the program of study must be documented via letter, signed by the sponsor, received by the Secretary/Treasurer and postmarked no later than August 1, of the examination year. The fee is not refundable if the sponsor recommends rejection because of the candidate's failure to complete the program of study. Those candidates who fail 3 or 4 parts of the certifying examination at least twice, may be required to take the requalification examination to become eligible for the next certifying examination.  See the section on the Requalifying Examination (RQE) for more information.

A candidate who fails a certifying examination may request that the parts failed be retotaled to verify the accuracy of the results as reported. The verification process does not evaluate the content or interpretation of the examination or candidate responses, but determines that the scores are correctly totaled. Such requests must be received in writing, accompanied by $50.00, within 30 days of the date of mailing of the results of the examination to the candidate.

SIGNIFICANCE OF CERTIFICATION
The ACVP was established and incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1949 with the objectives of furthering scientific progress in veterinary pathology and of establishing standards of training experience which merit recognition of qualified specialists in that field.

The candidates are accepted into the organization on the basis of exacting professional requirements that fit him/her eminently for a highly specialized service. The ACVP realizes, too, that in sponsoring an individual as meeting these requirements it stakes its reputation on his/her faithful and successful rendering of such service.

RECERTIFICATION
Candidates for membership must be aware that periodic recertification may become a policy of the College in the future. Currently, there is no mandatory formal requirement for assessment of member competency. Portions of the annual certifying examinations are presented at the annual scientific meeting as a means of voluntary self-assessment. The ACVP will not rescind an initial certificate by a recertification procedure unless a date of expiration was a condition of the original certification.

PRIMARY EMPLOYMENT OF ACVP MEMBERS

• Academia - 400 (38%)
• Industry - 386 (37%)
• State Government - 39 (4%)
• Federal Government - 42 (4%)
• Uniform Services - 24 (2%)
• Private Diagnostic Lab - 78 (7%)
• Private Practice - 36 (3%)
• Other - 52 (5%)

Based on a total of 1,057 responses received in a 2002 survey of membership.

Updated November, 2007

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