2026 Phase I Surgical Knowledge Examination
March 30, Pearson VUE Test Centers (Americas and Europe)
March 31, Pearson VUE Test Centers (Asia and Oceania)
Registration deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025
Examination fee: $745
Eligibility
Registration
Examination Fee
Accommodations
Materials
Appointment Scheduling
Support
Cancellation and Refund
Questions
Future Dates
Eligibility
To be eligible to take the Phase I examination, the resident advisor must attest in CERT that the resident is in good standing with their program. A resident is not eligible to take the examination if they are on probation or any other form of sanction at the time of registration or any time before the examination is administered. Refer to the Residency Training Standards and Requirements for complete eligibility policies.
Registration
Complete registration for the examination consists of submitting the online registration form and paying the examination fee.
To register, log in to CERT, select Application, select Phase I Surgical Knowledge Examination, and click Register for Exam. Registration opens on September 4 for eligible candidates. The deadline to register is 11:59 pm (EDT), October 31, 2025.
Examination Fee
There are two options for paying the $745 examination fee:
- Pay online: The fee may be paid during the registration process in CERT or after registration by going to My Account, My Purchases in CERT.
- Submit the payment form. The payment form includes fillable fields and works best with Adobe Acrobat or Reader. Forms must be received before close of business on January 15, 2026. Mailed examination fee payments must arrive by close of business (5 pm Eastern Standard Time) on January 15, 2026, at the ACVS office.
To complete your registration, a form of payment must be selected. If you wish to pay the fee later, select Check as the payment method, then choose Pay by Check to complete the registration process.
Requesting Accommodations
All candidates who intend to take the 2026 ACVS Phase I Surgical Knowledge Examination must indicate whether they wish to request an accommodation during online registration. Candidates who request accommodations will be notified separately of the determination.
Information on requesting accommodations can be found on pages 7–9 of the Phase I Surgical Knowledge Examination Information Pamphlet.
If requesting an accommodation after the registration deadline, ACVS will consider requests received up to 60 days prior to the examination, but cannot guarantee that such requests will be granted or that a candidate will be able to keep their current appointment if accommodations are granted.
To make your request after registration, email the Accommodation Request Form to certification@acvs.org as soon as possible and no later than 11:59 pm (EST) Friday, January 30, 2026. ACVS will make every effort to provide a determination within 10 business days.
Examination Materials
2026 Phase I Surgical Knowledge Examination Information Pamphlet
Large animal list changes:
- Equine Anesthesia is replaced by Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, The 6th Edition of Lumb and Jones.
Small animal list changes:
- Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia is updated to 6th edition.
Appointment Scheduling
ACVS has made every attempt to authorize candidates with Pearson VUE as early as possible before the scheduled examination date. Candidates should make appointments with a Pearson VUE Test Center promptly after receiving their Examination Scheduling email to ensure an appointment with minimal travel required. Examination Scheduling emails will be sent by the end of November 2025.
Once you receive your Candidate ID and Authorization ID, please use them to create a Pearson online account and schedule your examination. Pearson VUE web accounts are created at https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/acvs.html. Please note that account activation may require up to 24 hours. Pearson VUE will notify you by email when your account is activated. Once the account is activated, proceed to select a Pearson Test Center location on the examination dates. You may select up to three test centers to compare appointment availability.
Additionally, candidates may schedule their test appointment by telephone.
Support
Cancellation and Refund
If a candidate needs to cancel their examination registration, they must notify ACVS and cancel the appointment with Pearson VUE. A no-show fee may be incurred for cancellations within 24 hours of the examination appointment.
Examination fees will be refunded less a $75 administrative fee if a candidate withdraws more than 30 days before the examination. If a candidate withdraws within 30 days of the examination, the examination fee will be refunded only in cases of extenuating circumstances (e.g., death in the family, medical emergency). No-show fees will be deducted from any refund if the candidate was not previously invoiced.
Refer to the Phase I Surgical Knowledge Examination Information Pamphlet for the complete refund policy.
Questions?
Common questions are answered in the Examination FAQ. Address other questions about the Phase I Examination to Lorie Jewell at ljewell@acvs.org or (301) 916-0200 x123. If you require technical assistance, please submit a support ticket through the CERT Help Desk.
Future Phase I Examination Dates
2027: To Be Determined
