Register Your Program
The submission period for program registration applications for the 2026-2027 residency year closed on August 18, 2025. No additional registration applications will be accepted for review. Programs that submitted an application in CERT by the deadline will be notified of the outcome by December 1.
View the list of current Registered Residency Training Programs.
This list is updated annually on December 1 and as needed throughout the year.
Navigating ACVS Training Programs Definitions-Info Session Recording
2026-2027 ACVS Residency Training Standards and Requirements (Standards)
All programs must follow the policies and procedures detailed in the 2026-2027 Standards.
Summary of changes
- Residents are responsible for ensuring that ACVS has their current contact information.
- Residents whose program is discontinued must notify the office.
- The Resident Credentialing Committee will not review early manuscripts requests and requests to add a journal to the Approved Journals List at the same time. Only manuscripts in journals already on the approved list will be reviewed.
- Credentialing cycle clarification: Residents must apply for credentials within five consecutive credentialing cycles following the completion of their residency, as established in their Semi-Annual Review.
- Updated data policy: ACVS staff may only access data needed for their duties.
- ACVS is pursuing a new governance and organizational structure that separates ACVS credentialing functions from membership activities to ensure autonomy in certification-related decisions. Certification requirements remain unchanged. Implementation expected in 2027.
Future Submission Deadlines
The next program registration application submission window will open on June 1, 2026. ACVS will be accepting applications for the 2027–2028 residency year.
- The 2027–2028 Residency Training Standards and Requirements will be published in May 2026.
- The registration application will be available for program directors in CERT as of June 1, 2026.
- Completed applications are due to ACVS by August 10, 2026.
- Application results will be available as of December 1, 2026.
Who Must Apply
Applications must be submitted by all programs interested in training or continuing to train residents during the July 2027–June 2028 residency year. Programs must have a valid registration period of July 1, 2027–June 30, 2028, to train residents.
- All prospective residency training programs and inactive programs must apply for registration.
- Currently registered programs must apply for renewal of registration.
- Suspended programs must apply for reinstatement once the deficiencies have been addressed.
Registered programs moving to inactive status in 2027 may submit a Transition to Inactive Status form in place of a renewal application to extend their current registration period one month, through July 31, 2027, to allow third-year (finishing) residents to complete training as scheduled. Deadline to submit: August 10, 2026.
If you have questions about the application or the registration process, please review Program Registration Frequently Asked Questions or CERT Help.
Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP)
Programs that use the matching program must provide in their VIRMP program descriptions information about their current registration status with ACVS. ACVS will notify programs of the outcome of their registration application by December 1 and should amend their VIRMP listings accordingly. More information on the matching program can be found at www.virmp.org.
Questions
Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page. Additional questions about residency training program registration can be directed to Sarah Donnelly, programs manager, at sdonnelly@acvs.org or (301) 916-0200 x120.
