Examination Content

The NAVLE is constructed using an examination blueprint, outlined in the List of Veterinary Activities and Species, which was derived from a job analysis conducted by the NBVME in 2009. There are two dimensions to the blueprint: activities and animal species.

Activities are tasks that veterinarians perform in practice, and they are grouped into three main categories. Weights are assigned to each category and subcategory, based on their relative importance in practice.

Animal species is the other dimension of the NAVLE blueprint. Weights are assigned based on the relative importance of the various animal species categories to the overall practice of veterinary medicine in North America.

The numbers listed in the List of Veterinary Activities and Species represent targets for the number of items for each category out of the 300 scored items on each form of the NAVLE.

For additional information on the blueprint and the NAVLE job analysis, visit the NBVME’s website.