H. Registration Procedure - The CPE

An applicant who is required to sit the CPE and who has successfully completed the BCSE (or the old Parts A and B of the NEB Examination) and the PSA, or a graduate of an accredited veterinary school who required more than three attempts to pass the NAVLE and has passed the PSA, will be able to register for the CPE in the NEB Candidate Portal. The planned dates and sites of the next available sessions of the CPE will be announced as soon as they become available. To register candidates must complete the following:

a)   Registration in the NEB Candidate Portal;

b)   Payment of the appropriate Examination Fee in the NEB Candidate Portal;

c)   Submit Surgical Experience Documentation (for candidates who registered with the NEB after January 1st, 2015 only)

Candidates should note that while every attempt will be made to accommodate a candidate’s choice of site and date, because of the restricted numbers for the CPE sessions, a candidate may be required to accept an alternate site, or wait until a later date for the chosen site. (For an explanation of the priority given to candidates for the CPE, see C. Availability of the Examinations)

Surgical Experience Documentation

Candidates who enroll into the NEB program on or after January 1, 2015, must submit validated Surgical Experience Documentation forms as proof of having performed, in the five-year period prior to date of CPE, at least one (1) ovariohysterectomy as the primary surgeon and at least five (5) additional surgical procedures as either the primary or the assistant surgeon. The 5 additional procedures may be ovariohysterectomies or other surgical procedures, but each documented surgery should involve all elements of an aseptic surgical procedure, including gowning & gloving, draping of the patient, and use of sterile instrumentation, and be performed under direct observation by the veterinarian(s) attesting to the surgery. Validation of surgery experience can be provided by one or more veterinarians licensed to practice veterinary medicine in any international jurisdiction. Candidates must confirm with the appropriate regulatory authorities in the jurisdiction where they are obtaining surgical experience from to ascertain whether licensure in that jurisdiction is required before performing surgery. Please note that candidates who enrolled into the NEB program on or after January 1, 2015, will be eligible to register for the full CPE only when the required documentation is received in its entirety in the NEB office and processed by NEB staff. The NEB reserves the right to verify the documents received. Candidates are reminded that falsification of documents would be a violation of the Rules of Conduct and can resolve in disciplinary actions up to and including dismissal from the program. Candidates who successfully fulfill this eligibility requirement will be notified of their eligibility to take the CPE by e-mail and will be able to register and apply for CPE through the CVMA website.

This CPE eligibility requirement does not apply to candidates enrolled in the NEB program prior to January 1, 2015. However, the NEB strongly recommends that all candidates have the experience described above prior to attempting the surgical section of the CPE.

Please submit surgical experience documentation via email to neb-bne@cvma-acmv.org or the NEB Candidate portal.

Preliminary Surgical Examination (PSA)

Passing the PSA is mandatory for all candidates that wish to take the CPE in Canada after January 1st, 2017.