Program Registration FAQ
If you have a question that is not answered below, contact the ACVS office (certification@acvs.org).
Application Submission
Accessing the Application
Personnel Requirements
Equipment Requirements
Application Submission
Prospective training programs must submit a registration application to ACVS for review. Separate applications are required for small animal programs and large animal programs. Completed applications are generally due the third week of August for the following residency year beginning July 1. ACVS will announce the exact application deadline on the Program Registration Application page. Program directors will be notified of the outcome of their application by December 1.
No application fee is required to submit a program registration application.
New residents may only start training within the dates of the published residency requirements for the corresponding registration period. For example, program registration applications submitted in August 2022 correspond to the July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024, residency year. If the program is accepted for registration, new residents may start training on or after July 1, 2023.
Yes. Registration must be renewed annually with ACVS as long as residents are actively training at the program. Renewal applications are accepted each August (generally in the third week) for the following residency year. The exact submission date is posted on the Program Registration Application page one year in advance.
For future renewals, some sections of the application (not all) will prepopulate with the information submitted the previous year. Program directors will be able to verify prepopulated information, make needed changes, and move through the application efficiently. Sections not prepopulated must be completed each year as part of the registration renewal process.
Accessing the Application
All new program directors must contact Sarah Donnelly, programs manager, at certification@acvs.org to configure your access to the program registration application in CERT.
You must contact Sarah Donnelly, programs manager, at certification@acvs.org to configure your access to the program’s renewal application in CERT.
Personnel Requirements
The ACVS Residency Training Standards & Requirements (Standards) state two full-time ACVS Diplomates may train up to three residents. One additional core ACVS Diplomate is required for each additional resident beyond three.
No. The ACVS Standards require, at a minimum, two full-time ACVS Diplomates working in the same practice/institution as the resident to establish a residency training program. In a collaborative program, each participating practice/institution must have, at a minimum, two full-time ACVS Diplomates onsite.
No. The ACVS Standards require, at a minimum, one ACVIM (Internal Medicine) Diplomate working at the same practice/institution as the resident to establish a residency training program. The emphasis is that the ACVIM Diplomate is onsite and actively involved in resident training through direct, personal, one-on-one instruction throughout the residency. ACVS will not register programs that do not meet this requirement. In a collaborative program, each participating practice/institution must have, at a minimum, one ACVIM Diplomate onsite.
No. Interactions of only one or two days a month during residency training are not likely to meet the required 900 hours/year onsite and are not considered a sufficient amount of time to meet the spirit and intent of the requirement to guide the resident through direct, personal, one-on-one instruction throughout the residency.
No. The emphasis of the requirement is that the allied specialists are onsite and actively involved in resident training through direct, personal, one-on-one instruction throughout the residency. Consulting done solely via telemedicine communications (phone/email/skype, etc.) is not sufficient to meet the spirit and intent of the ACVS Standards requirement.
No. Interactions of only one or two days a month during residency training are not considered sufficient time to meet the spirit and intent of the allied specialist requirement to guide the resident through direct, personal, one-on-one instruction throughout the residency.
No. The ACVS Standards require small animal residency training programs to have, at a minimum, two other allied specialist Diplomates working at the same practice/institution as the resident to establish a residency training program. The emphasis is that these allied specialist Diplomates are onsite and actively involved in resident training through direct, personal, one-on-one instruction throughout the residency. In a collaborative program, each participating practice/institution is required to have, at a minimum, two other allied specialist Diplomates onsite. The Residency Program Compliance Committee may consider collaborative applications where a secondary site does not have two allied specialists if the time spent by the resident at the secondary site does not exceed twelve weeks and the benefit of the resident spending time at the secondary site outweighs the deficiencies of the site.
Equipment Requirements
No. Equipment designated as required equipment by the ACVS Standards must be present at the practice/institution where the resident is training to establish a residency training program. The Residency Program Compliance Committee may consider collaborative applications where a secondary site does not have all required equipment if the time spent by the resident at the secondary site does not exceed twelve weeks and the benefit of the resident spending time at the secondary site outweighs the deficiencies of the site.
