A. General
The NEB examination process comprises three exams measuring entry-level competence in the theory and practice of veterinary medicine in a North American context:
- the Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination (BCSE);
- the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE);
- the Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE).
A graduate of a non-accredited veterinary school must complete all three parts of the foregoing examinations, starting with the BCSE, followed by the NAVLE and the CPE (whereas the NAVLE can be attended first and the CPE thereafter or vice versa) in order to be granted a CQ. Graduates of an accredited veterinary school need only pass the NAVLE within two attempts to be granted a CQ. Moreover, graduates of an accredited college who do not achieve a passing mark on the NAVLE within two attempts must also complete the CPE, once they have passed the NAVLE, in order to receive a CQ.
All veterinary schools in Canada and the USA are currently accredited, as are those of the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands (graduates from 1973 onward), the Universities of London (graduates from 1999 onward), Glasgow (from 1999) and Edinburgh (from 2001) in the United Kingdom, Massey University in New Zealand (from 2001), as well as Murdoch University (from 2002), the Universities of Sydney (from 2005) Melbourne (from 2006) and Queensland (from 2012) in Australia, University College Dublin (from 2007) in Ireland, Ross University (from 2011) on St. Kitts, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México (from 2011) in Mexico City and St. George’s University in Grenada (from 2011). Candidates who are uncertain of the accreditation status of their college may obtain the necessary information from the NEB office.A candidate may not be re-examined in the NAVLE if he/she has already passed it, unless such re-examination is required by a provincial licensing body.
A candidate who is a graduate of a non-accredited veterinary school must successfully complete the BCSE, the NAVLE and the CPE within a 5 year period commencing when the candidate begins the Examination sequence. A candidate who does not complete the Examination sequence within the 5 year period will be required to request the re-activation of their file and pay the Re-activation Fee, as appropriate to the candidate's situation (see Appendix F below). However, all previous Examination results will still be valid and will be maintained in the candidate's file.
Note also that a candidate who has been granted eligibility to register for the Examination must begin the Examination sequence within two years or he/she will also be required to request re-activation and pay the Re-activation Fee.
Finally, candidates should note that the Examination may be administered only to bona fide candidates (i) for initial licensing in any province or state, or (ii) who are already licensed in a province or state, but are seeking a license in another jurisdiction that does not recognize the candidate's existing scores as qualifying for a license.
All of the exams may be taken in either English or French, at the discretion of the candidate.
Candidates with a Documented Disability
Reasonable accommodation will be made for a candidate with a documented disability, if the candidate identifies the disability and makes a request for such accommodation prior to or at the time of registration. The candidate will be required to present documentation in support of the request.
The Board will consider the recommendation of health care providers in conjunction with all other circumstances, which might include the availability of the recommended accommodation. A copy of the procedures for requesting testing accommodations may be obtained by submitting a written request to the NEB.
B. Composition of the Examination Process
Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination
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Graduates of a non-accredited veterinary school must first pass the BCSE to be eligible to appear for the NAVLE and the CPE. Such candidates may then choose the order in which they will appear for the latter two exams.
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The North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE®) comprises 360 multiple choice questions, which are administered one at a time by computer. Approximately 15% to 20% of the questions will include relevant graphic or pictorial information (photograph, radiograph, chart, etc.). This exam is designed to measure one’s general knowledge base in the various scientific disciplines required in veterinary medicine. The NAVLE requires one full day to complete.
Limit on NAVLE Attempts
A candidate may not sit for the NAVLE more than five (5) times during a five year period starting from the first attempt. Each of the final two attempts must be at least one year after the previous attempt. This policy took effect beginning with the Fall 2007 session of the NAVLE. Any previous attempts by a candidate, prior to the Fall 2007 testing window, will not count toward the five attempt limit.
Candidates are required to wait for a period of one year following an unsuccessful fifth attempt and are strongly encouraged to undertake remedial training before applying for a further cycle of five attempts.
Clinical Proficiency Examination
The Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE) is a practical examination of the candidate's medical and surgical skills. It is designed to assess the candidate's ability to handle actual medical, surgical and diagnostic problems in a clinical or hospital setting. The CPE involves the examination and treatment of live animals and the performance of routine laboratory procedures.
Each of the exams is described in greater detail further on in this booklet.
C. Availability of the Examinations
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