About ABVP

The concept of ABVP was the result of progressive-thinking veterinarians who had the advancement of veterinary clinical practice at heart.  Bill Jackson of Lakeland, Florida (boarded in surgery and ophthalmology) and Don Sawyer of Michigan State (boarded in anesthesiology) conceived the idea of ABVP.  Together with Bill Kay of New York (boarded in neurology), Bob Kirk of Cornell (boarded in internal medicine) and H. Fred Troutt of Blacksburg, Virginia, the concept for ABVP was developed.

In March of 1977 this unique concept was presented to the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) which determined that the creation of ABVP would be beneficial to veterinary medicine. Each specialty college was asked to serve on the Organizing Committee.  Over the next year approximately twenty (20) specialists from various groups worked out the details and a petition for ABVP was presented at the March 1978 ABVS meeting.  After much debate ABVS gave provisional approval for the formation of ABVP.  Ratification by the Council on Education and the House of Delegates of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) occurred in July 1978, making ABVP a reality.

Dr. Bill Jackson served as ABVP’s first President and Dr. Bob Kirk served as the Executive Secretary. With the help of a dedicated Organizing Committee they began developing the examinations and credentialing process.  The first examination was given at the AVMA Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri in July 1981 to 103 candidates.  That year, forty one (41) Diplomates were certified in three (3) Recognized Veterinary Specialties (RVS)—Companion Animal Practice (1981), Equine Practice (1981) and Food Animal Practice (1981).

Since the original three (3) RVS’s were established, ABVP has added specialties in Avian (1993), Swine Health Management (1994), Dairy (1991), Beef Cattle (1997), Feline (1995), Exotic Companion Mammal (2009) and Reptile and Amphibian (2010). With the addition of Feline Practice, the Companion Animal RVS was renamed Canine and Feline Practice (1995).  Today, ABVP continues to be recognized by ABVS to offer board certification in species-oriented clinical practice and has a membership of over 850 active Diplomates across all RVS’.