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Certifying Examinations

Responsibilities of a Sponsor of a Candidate for the ACVP Examination

The sponsor's signature on a candidate's application certifies that said candidate has had training "adequate to permit sitting for the Examination". (See the Application.) Sponsorship of a candidate is not to be taken lightly because Council puts considerable trust in sponsors when it comes to accepting a candidate. A sponsor's signature clearly does not guarantee success for the candidate, but it should guarantee that the candidate fulfills requirements and has been thoroughly prepared. It is the sponsor's responsibility to verify the accuracy of the applicant's academic documents that show proof of graduation from an accredited college of veterinary medicine and to confirm that the submitted documents are those of the applicant. A candidate who has graduated from a college of veterinary medicine that is not accredited by the AVMA must possess a certificate issued by the Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates or be legally qualified to practice veterinary medicine in some state, province, territory or possession of the United States, Canada or other country.
The sponsor who signs the application should be the person most responsible for the candidate's training. Occasionally, circumstances dictate that a sponsor is not the principal mentor, in which case Council requires an explanation.
If the sponsor is not a member of the ACVP, the candidate must find a Diplomate who will countersign the application.
As the principal mentor, the sponsor must be intimately involved with the training of the candidate. The sponsor, if not the main instructor, must know in some detail what is being done for and by the candidate, and should serve as a counselor who reviews all aspects of the candidate's training and progress on a regular basis.
Study plans, required of those candidates who fail 3 or 4 parts of the Examination, must be approved by the sponsor either by dated signature or separate letter. A study plan must specify in detail what the candidate intends to do as preparation for each section of the Examination. For example, it is not sufficient to say that a weekly slide seminar will be attended. The usual content of the seminar should be described as well as the minimum number of slides for which written descriptions will be prepared and who will review the slides and check the descriptions. A timeline for the year of preparation is advisable as well as exposure to study materials in an examination format (e.g., a "mock" examination of 20 microsopic pathology test items to allow practice of description and diagnosis of visual material in the time frame of the Examination). A list of reading material and/or visual materials for review should be included for each Examination section with emphasis on identified areas of deficiency. It is important that study expand beyond the scope of the candidate's routine activities in a training program or work environment that may be quite specialized. Of utmost importance is a plan for regular interaction with the sponsor or mentor. This interaction must allow the sponsor to assess a candidate's progress, to determine whether the candidate is on schedule in preparation for each section of the Examination, and to provide the candidate with feedback to correct any deficiencies. The plan should specify how the sponsor will ensure that preparation is thorough. A candidate's application will not be accepted if the credentialing committee deems the study plan inadequate. Deficiencies will be indicated and the candidate will be expected to revise the plan to meet the standard. The sponsor should work closely with the candidate to ensure good study plans and habits, and must verify that the study plan has been followed before a candidate will be fully accepted to sit the Examination.

Revised November, 2007

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