Veterinary specialty training requires extensive post-graduate education and experience. It begins with an undergraduate degree, four years of veterinary school, and passing national and state board examinations. For graduates of non-accredited schools, additional steps like the ECFVG program or PAVE are required. Becoming board-certified then typically involves a university-based residency program lasting at least two years, where responsibilities increase over time. The speaker's own journey exemplified the challenges of volunteering, the ECFVG program, a large animal internship, and two years of residency, before becoming a boarded large animal veterinarian.

1. Veterinary Specialty Training:
Opportunities and
Implications
Dr. Zuhair Ismail, DVM, Diplomate ABVP
King Faisal University

2. Veterinary Specialist
• A graduate veterinarian who has successfully
completed the process of board certification
o Diplomate
o 20 American Boards of Veterinary Specialties
(ABVS)
o 16 European Veterinary Specialty Colleges

3. Veterinary Specialist
• Requirements
o Extensive post-graduate training
o Sufficient experience
o Publish a clinical case or research paper
o Pass a credential review and examinations

4. Their Veterinary Training
• Pre vet undergraduate degree- 2-4 years
• Admission to vet school- competitive; 4 years
• National board (NAVLE)
• State boards

5. Non Accredited Schools
• Two ways to become licensed veterinarian in USA
• Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary
Graduates (ECFVG)
o Pass basic and clinical sciences examination
o Pass clinical proficiency examination (CPE)

6. Non Accredited Schools
• Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education
Equivalence (PAVE)
o Pass the NBVME's Qualifying Examination (basic
science)
o Pass 12 months of clinical experience at an
accredited veterinary school, or pass the Veterinary
Clinical Skills Assessment Examination (hands-on
clinical skills)

7. Becoming Board-Certified
• University-based residency
• Approved private specialty hospitals
• Each specialty has their own requirements
• Minimum of two years

8. What Did I Do?
• 1 year volunteer- small and large animal hospitals
• 1 year ECFVG
• 1 Year Internship- large animal hospital
• 2 years residency- large animal hospital
• Boarded over 2 years
• Feeling- so great

9. A Day In My Life as A Volunteer
1 year
• Just looking (observation)
• Under scrutiny 24 hours
• No mistakes allowed, no second chances
• Depressed, hate my life, but have a goal in mind
kept me going
• Study hard to catch up

10. A Day In My Life as ECFVG Student
I year
• In the hospital 6 am until who knows?
• Taking cases, doing physical exams
• Taking care of my in-patient cases
• Participate in Emergency duties
• Not too many people believed I could do it

11. A Day In My Life In Internship
I year
• More responsibilities
• Under more scrutiny
• Challenging students
• Mentoring students in case management
• Participate in Emergency duties
• A lot of people surprised I made to this point
• Working and studying harder than any body else
• Earned the College Award for the Hardest Working
and Most Helpful Intern in the Large Animal Hospital

12. A Day In My Life In Residency
Year 1
• More responsibilities but more relaxed
• More teaching and supervising students
• Earned student respect and most of my co-residents
• Participate in emergency duties
• Now I earned money too
• Studying for the board examination

13. A Day In My Life In Residency
Year 2
• Even more responsibilities, but even happier
• Teaching surgery now in class rooms
• Supervising more students
• Earned the respect of all people even the ones who
betted I will fail or hoped I would
• Earned more money
• Studying harder for the Board examination next year

14. A Day In My Life
Post Training
• Hired me full time
• Passed 2/3 of the board exam, next year passed
the last third
• Gained 15 kg body weight
• Did not want me to leave

15. Good Luck
Always Keep Your Eyes on
the Prize
Questions please