D. Clinical Proficiency Examination

The Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE) consists of seven (7) sections. Each section requires between 45 minutes to four hours to complete, with the entire exam administered over a period of several days, depending on the exam administration site.

In each of the major topic areas, the candidate will be evaluated on the clinical skills and behaviour appropriate to that subject/discipline. Throughout the CPE there are frequent requirements of the candidate to communicate with a client (a role played by the Examiner), to demonstrate the ability to take a history by asking relevant questions and to communicate a clinical message. The major topic areas are:  Anaesthesia, Equine Practice, Food Animal Practice, Necropsy, Radiographic Positioning, Small Animal Medicine and Surgery.

The rationale for the Anaesthesia and Surgery sections is that surgery is a major therapeutic measure in veterinary medicine. At entry level a veterinarian should have basic surgical and anaesthesia skills and the ability to perform routine procedures. The species involved is usually canine. The estimated total time for the Anaesthesia section is approximately 4 hours, whereas the total time for the Surgery section is 2.5 hours.

The Equine Practice section rationale is that veterinarians providing health care must be able to utilize a variety of knowledge and skills to define and correct medical problems. The estimated time for this section is 2.25 hours.

The Food Animal Practice section rationale is that veterinarians providing animal health care must be able to utilize a variety of knowledge and skills to define and correct medical problems. Veterinarians practicing economic animal medicine are expected to have clinical and management knowledge to detect and prevent diseases in populations of animals and to enhance the efficiency of food animal production units. The species involved may be bovine, caprine, ovine and/or porcine. The estimated duration of this section is 3 hours.

The Necropsy is a single station section. The rationale is that practicing veterinarians are expected to perform and interpret routine tests and procedures in order to provide comprehensive health care. The candidate will be expected to perform a complete necropsy using an acceptable procedure and collect tissue samples for histopathology. Species involved may be bovine, canine, equine, feline, ovine, porcine and/or caprine. The estimated time for the Necropsy section is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The Radiographic Positioning section also comprises a single station. Candidates will be required to determine anatomical structures and views, and produce diagnostic quality radiographic images of thereof. The estimated total time for this station is 45 minutes.

The Small Animal Medicine section rationale is that veterinarians providing animal health care must be able to utilize a variety of knowledge and skills to define and correct medical problems. Veterinarians are also expected to provide medical care to animals in life-threatening and emergency situations. They must be able to recognize the need to take appropriate action in dealing with zoonotic diseases, including those that must be reported to public health and disease control officials. Species involved may be canine and/or feline.  This section lasts 2.25 hours.