It is the responsibility of each candidate to ensure that s/he is adequately prepared prior to attempting the Examination. TheNEBdoes not provide any instruction or tutoring to assist candidates in preparing for the Examination. However, as a partial aid for Examination preparation, a suggested bibliography is outlined in Appendix F. This list proposes a number of titles, which could prove useful in preparing for the Examination. It is not a complete listing, however, and theNEBrecommends that candidates consult as many veterinary sources as possible prior to the Examination.
Moreover, theNEBmaintains a Mentorship Roster comprising a list of veterinary clinics and individual veterinarians who have expressed a willingness to assist candidate preparing for the Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE). Depending on availability, mentors will provide opportunities to candidates to maintain and/or upgrade their skills in view of appearing for the CPE. Further information may be obtained by communicating with theNEBoffice in writing or by telephone.
Tips on Preparing for the CPE
- Language Skills are very important. Candidates must ensure that a lack of proficiency in English or French does not hinder the successful completion of the CPE.
- Read the CPE Manual of Administration. If there are any parts that are not clear, contact theNEB office for clarification. Familiarise yourself with each section in detail, as well as the general information.
- Self-assessment of Skills. Identify sections or stations for which experience or training may be required.
- Obtain Experience. Having determined areas for improvement, spend sufficient time gaining experience. The National Mentorship Roster may be of assistance in this respect. Experience required by the CPE can be of two types: non-veterinary, such as animal handling, and veterinary. For example, the non-veterinary experience may be gained by working or volunteering on a farm.
- Practice Working Under Pressure. Practice skills until they are performed quickly. Memorise the steps involved in doing a physical examination in order to effectively work through the process in the prescribed time. Practice speaking about a simulated patient, covering all of the required steps outlined in the CPE Manual of Administration.
Candidates are instructed not to visit examination sites prior to appearing for the CPE in order to obtain clinical experience. Indeed, candidates are not permitted to communicate with Examiners prior to or following the administration of the exam. For this reason, you must seek your experience away from the examination site. The site may, however, have visual teaching materials in their library that may be available to CPE candidates.