Instructions for candidates applying for ACVA Certification
Read
these instructions carefully! Candidates
are responsible for adhering to the requirements and deadlines described below.
The
official language of the ACVA Certification Examination is English.
* * * DEADLINE for completed
application is September 1 Annually * *
*
I. Training Requirements: see Residency
Training Standards and ACVA Bylaws Article I, section 2 on the “For Residents”
page at www.acva.org.
Note: Credentials may be submitted by
residents who have completed at least 104 weeks of a clinical anesthesia
residency training program with the approval of their program faculty with the
expectation that the resident would sit for the written certifying examination the
following spring near the completion of the required 3 year residency.
Candidates who pursue this course must provide documentation to the Executive
Secretary that they have completed their residency within 30 days of graduation
and before they will be allowed to sit the oral exam.
II. Application process
A. The
Credentials Application Form is a
limited access web-based file.
1.
Please email the
Executive Secretary at ExecDir@acva.org
for the link, userid and password to the application form. This link, userid
and password will allow you to open the application multiple times.
2.
For security
reasons, the application form must be completed in one sitting. This means you
will not be able to fill in some fields, close the document and return to work
on it again at a later time. Any information entered will not be saved when the
document is simply closed.
3.
Either review the
form carefully and make notes of the required information or save it as a text
document to your computer. The application in this format (either as a text
file or after being inserted into a word document) can be completed as any text
or word document.
4.
After completing
all the fields in the text or word document to your satisfaction, these can be entered
manually or copied and pasted into the application form for final submission.
5.
Note that entries
marked with an asterisk are “required”. This means an error message will be
displayed and the form will not be submitted until all such fields are
completed.
6.
When it is
submitted, the Executive Secretary is sent an individual-specific link to each
application.
7.
Please do not send
the application as a word document attached to an email.
8.
If you have any
problems completing the online application, please do not hesitate to contact
the Executive Secretary at either ExecDir@acva.org
or, for years 2007-2009, ldonldsn@earthlink.net.
B. A complete application package must be submitted to the ACVA
Executive Secretary by September 1 in order for a candidate to be considered
for the following year's examination (the written examination is conducted in
the Spring, usually May; for candidates who have successfully completed the
written examination, the oral examination is conducted in the Fall, usually September
or October). The application package must include as an email attachment or
mailed hard copy:
1. The completed application form submitted through the
web-based system.
2. The candidate's curriculum vitae.
3. The candidate’s case and activities log (see the template
on the website).
The submission of a caselog is the outcome of approval of
the Residency Training Standards as the guiding document for training programs
and credentials requirements in January, 2006. Candidates starting their
residency before that date may not have kept a caselog as an Excel file and
will be excused from the caselog requirement. An explanatory email to the Executive
Secretary upon submission of the credentials packet will help avoid confusion.
Candidates applying during the 3rd
year of their residency should submit a case and activities log current to the
date of credentials submission. A schedule of the proposed clinical and
scholastic activities to completion of the 3rd year of the residency
should be outlined on the last sheet in the workbook labeled “plan for
remainder of 3rd year”. Upon completion of their residency, these
candidates must submit a final, complete, 3 year Case and Activities Log for
review in order to continue pursuit of certification.
4. One (1) e-file (preferable) or hard copy of at least one publication
or a manuscript accepted for publication as evidenced by a letter from the
journal editor of a peer-reviewed journal, representing the applicant's efforts
as an investigator (applicant must be the FIRST author) in the areas of
anesthesia, analgesia, critical care or related field must be submitted with
this application.
Deadline for this publication
requirement may be extended to December 31 only if all other parts of the
application are completed by September 1. A copy of the manuscript, even if
not in its final publication form, must be included in the application
packet submitted on September 1.
If you have any concerns regarding
the suitability of your manuscript or the journal to which it will be/was
submitted, please contact the Executive Secretary. Appropriate
journals include, but are not limited to, VAA, JAVMA, AJVR, JVIM, JVECC, Vet
Surg, EVJ, J Applied Physiology, Anesthesiology, Anesth Analg, and BJA. A more
complete list can be found on the ACVA website “For Residents” pages.
Please
use the following style for citations:
Authors, complete title, journal,
volume, number, pages, year published.
Example: Muir WW, Skarda RT, Sheeham W: Hemodynamic and
Respiratory effects of Xylazine-Acetylpromazine Drug Combinations in Horses.
Am. J. Vet Res. 40:1518-1522, 1979.
5. A signed letter from the candidate's Sponsor, who must be either an ACVA or
ECVAA Diplomate, must be received by September 1. This letter should be sent as
an email attachment or addressed and mailed directly
to the ACVA Executive Secretary by the sponsor.
6. 3 additional letters of reference also must be received by September 1st. The letters should be sent
as email attachments or addressed and mailed directly to the ACVA Executive Secretary
by the reference. It is recommended that at least one (1) reference be a
diplomate of the ACVA or ECVAA and others be diplomates in their specialty. It
is important that the person giving reference has worked closely with the
candidate either in the clinic or laboratory and can attest to the candidate’s
high ethical and professional standing.
It is the responsibility of the candidate,
their Sponsor and References to submit the
required letters in time to meet the September 1 deadline.
The original application and
supporting documents must be submitted by September 1.
7. An application will be considered
incomplete and the candidate deemed ineligible for examination if any
application materials, including the Sponsor's and/or any of the 3 Reference
letters and a copy of the manuscript in whatever form, have not been received
by the Executive Secretary by September 1.
8. Application documents and
sponsors and references letters may be submitted electronically either by email
attachment or on CD. Note that one signed, hard or electronic copy is
required to be kept on file with the Executive Secretary.
C. Candidates are to send their application
documents to the ACVA Executive Secretary. Letters from sponsors and letters of
reference MUST also be sent directly to the
executive secretary.
The ACVA Executive Secretary for
2007-2009 is:
Dr.
Specific questions regarding the credentials
process can be sent either to the Executive Secretary or to the ACVA
Credentials Committee chair for 2009:
Dr. Rebecca
Johnson
Dept of Surgical Sciences
III. Notification of decision by the Credentials
Committee: Candidates will be
notified of the decision of the Credentials Committee by January 31 of the year
of the examination. In the interval between submission on September 1 and final
manuscript acceptance by an acceptable journal on December 31, the Credentials
Committee will review the application documents. If questions arise, the
Credentials Committee chair or the Executive Secretary may request
clarification. The Credentials Committee will come to its final decision early
in January. Their recommendations must be submitted to the ACVA Board of
Directors for approval before the outcomes are final.
Electronic
notification will be made by the Credentials Committee Chair or Executive
Secretary no later than January 31 to be followed by written confirmation from
the Executive Secretary soon thereafter. To facilitate these communications,
please inform the Executive Secretary of any change of address between the time
of application (September 1) and the final decision (January 31 of the
following year).
IV. Credentials Decision Consequences
The
Credentials Committee will either accept or reject an applicant’s credentials.
Once accepted, the applicant will be contacted by the Exam Committee chairman
regarding the details of the examination process (see VI, below). If an
applicant’s credentials are rejected, a letter from the Executive Secretary on
behalf of the Credentials Committee will explain the decision and suggest actions
to be taken to correct any problem(s). The rejected applicant should inform the
Executive Secretary of the results of his/her corrective measures and that
he/she wishes re-consideration of his/her credentials by September 1 of the year following the original submission. There
will be no fee for re-review of an applicant’s credentials the 1st
and 2nd year immediately following a rejection however, an updated
CV must accompany the request of reconsideration. If more than two years (>2
yrs) lapses between an initial application and a request for re-review, a
completely new application packet and fee must be submitted.
V. Appealing a decision by the Credentials Committee
A candidate adversely affected by an
ACVA Credentials Committee decision may
petition for review of the decision by filing with the Executive Secretary a written petition for reconsideration which shall
include a statement of grounds for reconsideration and documentation in support
of the petition. Such a petition must be filed within 30 days of the date on which the ACVA, via the Executive Secretary, announces its decision or within 30 days of the date on which the ACVA, via the Executive
Secretary, advises the affected person of the availability of this appeals
procedure, whichever is later. On receipt of the petition, the Executive
Secretary will notify the chairpersons of the Credentials Committee and the
Appeals Committee and facilitate the communications of critical information
between these committees as needed. The Appeals Committee will render a
decision and communicate that decision to the Executive Secretary such that the
Executive Secretary will be able to inform the appellant of the decision within
30 days of the original petition. In the event of continued conflict between
the petitioner and the College, appeals notification may be directed to the American
Board on Veterinary Specialties with copy to the President and chair of the Board
of Directors of the ACVA.
VI. Certification Process for the ACVA: Certification of Diplomate status by the
A.
First, a written examination is administered during the month of May,
and consists of two sections, basic and applied, given on two consecutive days,
beginning with the basic section. Both sections consist of a multiple choice
portion (200 questions with a 4 hour time allotment) and an essay portion (a
choice of 5 of 8 available questions with a 2-page limit per question, also
with a 4 hour time allotment). Within 45 days of the written exam, the outcome
is communicated to each candidate individually by email followed by a letter
from the Executive Secretary.
B. Following successful completion
of the written examination, an oral examination is administered in the
Fall, most often in conjunction with the annual scientific meeting of the ACVA
but on occasion in conjunction with a World Congress of Veterinary Anaesthesiologists
if it is held in
Documentation of successful
completion of a 3 year clinical anesthesia residency must be submitted to
the Executive Secretary no later than 30 days after completing the residency
and prior to sitting the oral exam.
The oral examination is comprised of
3 different stations (and general topics) with as many as 12 ACVA diplomates
(3-4 per station) asking questions regarding such topics as anesthetic
equipment, anesthetic case management, peri-operative pain management, acid
base status and management and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Candidates are
informed of the results of their examination within
3-4 hours of the last candidate’s oral examination. A letter confirming the
oral exam outcome follows. Successful candidates are sent a plaque and a letter
identifying them as diplomates of the ACVA. Candidates who fail to pass the
oral exam also receive a letter with a brief explanation of their performance
and an invitation to contact the Exam Committee Chair for further information. .
C. Re-examination: If a candidate fails to pass either one or both sections
of the written or the oral examination and wishes to continue pursuit of ACVA
certification, he/she must submit an application for re-examination by December
31st of the year prior to the year in which he/she plans to re-take
the written or oral exam. The re-examination application form is available
through the ACVA website or the executive secretary. A reduced fee ($100) is
required to help cover the expenses of re-examination.
D. Re-application: After acceptance of their credentials, a candidate
has three (3) years to successfully complete the written and oral examinations.
Candidates not successfully completing both the written and oral
examinations within 3 years must reapply to initiate an additional 3-year exam
cycle. A 3 year exam cycle is understood to include re-taking the entire
Certifying Examination, i.e. the written examination must be passed before
proceeding to the oral examination.
Re-application requires:
1.
a
letter of intent
2.
an
updated curriculum vitae
3.
a
letter of reference from the candidate’s current supervisor
4.
payment
of the full application fee ($500).
E. Withdrawal from an examination cycle: At any time between the
acceptance of credentials and the administration of the examination, a
candidate may request to postpone sitting either the written or oral examination
by submitting a written petition of explanation to the Executive Secretary who
will forward the request to the chair of the Examination Committee. The
Examination Committee retains the authority to deny deferral if it determines
insufficient cause. Deferrals will be for the current exam year only and
further communication with the Executive Secretary is required to determine the
candidate’s status for the following examination year. Failure to request
withdrawal for the following year will be the equivalent of denied deferral. The
effect of denied deferral without sitting the exam is the same as failure to
pass the examination.
F. Appealing the outcome of either the written or oral examination: Candidates
failing any portion of the examination may petition for review of the decision
by filing with the Executive Secretary a written
petition for reconsideration which shall include a statement of grounds for
reconsideration and documentation in support of the petition. Such a petition
must be filed within 30 days of the date on which
the ACVA, via the Executive Secretary, announces
its decision or within 30 days of the date on
which the ACVA, via the Executive Secretary, advises the affected person of the
availability of this appeals procedure, whichever is later. On receipt of the
petition, the Executive Secretary will notify the Chairpersons of the
Examination Committee and the Appeals Committee and facilitate the
communications of critical information between these committees. The Appeals
Committee will render a decision and communicate that decision to the Executive
Secretary such that the Executive Secretary will be able to inform the
appellant of the decision within 30 days of the original petition. In the event
of continued conflict between the petitioner and the College, appeals
notification may be directed to the American Board on Veterinary Specialties
with copy to the President and chair of the Board of Directors of the ACVA.
CHECKLIST FOR ACVA CERTIFICATION
APPLICATION
1. Application Form
2. Curriculum
vitae
3. Case log (or request to be excused)
4. Letter from sponsor (to be sent by your
sponsor)
5. Three letters of reference (to be sent by
your references)
6. Journal article (or manuscript with
verification of acceptance)
7. Examination fee of $500 US
One (1) complete electronic (preferred) or hard copy of each item 1 - 6
is to be sent to the Executive Secretary by September 1.