Recertification

Eligibility

All ABVP Diplomates are required to recertify every ten (10) years.  A Diplomate who fails to recertify forfeits his/her ABVP status and can no longer claim to be ABVP-certified.

Any Diplomate in good standing is allowed to attempt recertification.  A Diplomate who has not continuously paid annual fees since certification may be allowed to regain good standing by paying all delinquent and current fees.  As a courtesy, ABVP will attempt to notify Diplomates of their eligibility to recertify and deadlines.  However, each Diplomate is responsible for being aware of and keeping track of his/her eligibility status and submitting an application at the appropriate time.
 
A Diplomate is eligible for recertification in his/her 8th, 9th and 10th years of certification.  Certification expires on December 31st of a Diplomate’s 10th year.  A Diplomate who originally certified in 2002 may recertify in 2010, 2011 or 2012.  This extends certification for ten (10) years beyond the last certification period — not ten (10) years beyond the year in which the recertification requirement is met.  In other words, certification obtained in 2005 remains in effect until 2015; recertification extends certification to 2025, as long as the requirements are met in the 8th, 9th or 10th years of the certification period.  See table below.

There are two (2) ways for a Diplomate in good standing to recertify:

1. Successfully pass the written Specialty Examination in his/her practice category (Recognized Veterinary Specialty, RVS)
2. Accumulate five hundred (500) credits as outlined in Section III

A Diplomate who fails to recertify within the allotted three (3) years of eligibility, may, for a period of three (3) years, re-enter the examination process as a candidate by submitting an exam registration form and paying the full examination fee.  At this point, both sections of the examination (Specialty and Practical) must be passed.  In this event, a Diplomate’s certification will extend ten (10) years from the date he/she successfully passes both sections of the exam. 

Any candidate who fails to recertify during the second three (3) yearexamination cycle must begin anew by submitting a full credentials package and abiding by all first-time applicant procedures.  Certification will then be for a ten (10) year period after passing both portions of the exam.

If a Diplomate’s certification expires, he/she is required to remove the Diplomate title from all marketing and business materials and can no longer claim ABVP certification. The title must be removed even if one is planning to re-enter the examination process as a candidate as mentioned above. Once both sections of the exam are successfully passed and ABVP certification has been restored the Diplomate title can be returned to all marketing and business materials.

 

Recertification Chart	Date	Date	Date
Original Exam Date	November 2002	November 2003	November 2004
Certification Expiration Date	December 31, 2012	December 31, 2013	December 31, 2014
Earliest Date to Recertify by Credits	January 15, 2010	January 15, 2011	January 15, 2012
Next Date to Recertify by Credits	January 15, 2011	January 15, 2012	January 15, 2013
Final Date to Recertify by Credits	January 15, 2012	January 15, 2013	January 15, 2014
Earliest Date to Recertify by Exam	November 2010	November 2011	November 2012
Next Date to Recertify by Exam	November 2011	November 2012	November 2013
Final Date to Recertify by Exam	November 2012	November 2013	November 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extension Request

The three (3) year time frame allowed for recertification is intended to give Diplomates adequate time to complete the process.  As such, requests for extension of the recertification deadline are strongly discouraged.  The Council of Regents will consider extensions for circumstances of extreme hardship such as serious personal illness.  Extensions are generally granted for reason of military deployment.  If approved, an extension is for one (1) year only.

In addition to circumstance, the Council of Regents will evaluate other factors such as duration of the hardship, the Diplomate's eligibility to sit for the examination, and importantly, whether recertification had been attempted prior to the final year of certification.  Unless the Diplomate had attempted to recertify by the alternate pathway at least once, he/she will not be considered for extension by this route.

A Diplomate choosing to request an extension of his/her recertification deadline may do so by submitting a written request to the ABVP office during the last year of his/her certification.  The Diplomate will be notified of the Council of Regents' decision within thirty (30) days of the request.

Notification Results

It takes approximately four (4) months to review recertification materials submitted via the alternate pathway. Diplomates will be notified of results no later than June 1st. No results will be given over the phone.