Responsibilities: Advisory Council of Diplomates and Primary Care Veterinarians (Advisory Council) responsibilities include projects or activities aiming to increase awareness of ACVS and ACVS Diplomates among animal owners and primary care veterinarians (PCVs); foster positive relationships between PCVs and ACVS Diplomates; and establish/enhance ACVS Diplomates’ relationships with animal owners.
Meetings: Conference calls held periodically during the year.
Workload: Light to moderate and variable during the year.
Term of service: Three years. Term begins November 1 and ends October 31.
Positions available in 2025: Two: one small animal Diplomate, one large animal Diplomate
Prerequisite: None
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: The Communication Committee contributes to the ACVS brand by writing and reviewing articles for the Animal Health Topics (AHT) section of the website. ACVS Diplomates and residents are encouraged to contribute articles. AHT articles are directed toward the animal-owning public. Topics include current, basic, and essential content, and articles are written for animal owners with minimal veterinary medical knowledge. The liberal use of visuals (illustrations and digital images) is highly encouraged.
Note: Volunteers who write AHT may also volunteer to serve on a committee or advisory group.
Benefits of service: Volunteers can earn two maintenance of certification activity points per AHT article published by ACVS.
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: The Communication Committee (CC) promotes the College with emphasis on increasing awareness of the value of ACVS board-certified surgeons to others in the veterinary profession and to the public. The Communication Committee’s primary areas of responsibility are publishing, supporting efforts to raise public awareness, participating in focus groups, and serving as communication ambassadors.
Committee meetings: Bi-monthly conference calls with additional as needed.
Benefits of Service: Authors of AHT and dvm360 articles can earn two maintenance of certification (MOC) activity points per article authored. Reviewers of Animal Health Topic articles and dvm360 surgery articles can earn one maintenance of certification activity point per article reviewed.
Workload: Moderate.
Term of service: Three years. Term begins November 1 and ends October 31.
Positions available in 2025: Two: one large animal Diplomate, one small animal Diplomate
Prerequisite: None
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: Beginning in 2025, the Continuing Education Committee (CEC) large and small animal, scientific program, and allied medicine and contemporary topics (AMCT) subcommittees will be changed to orthopedic/neurology and soft tissue subcommittees. This change has been made to enhance coordination throughout the committee, align educational content, and best serve the needs of ACVS Diplomates and residents. Volunteers do not need to be an orthopedic or soft tissue specialist; select the subcommittee you are most interested in joining. ACVS seeks Diplomates who are team-oriented, responsive, and deadline-driven. The CEC determines the programs for the ACVS Surgery Summit, digital learning programs, and stand-alone laboratories and provides program material.
Committee meetings: Each year, four CE Committee meetings are held: a virtual winter introductory meeting, virtual spring meeting, a virtual summer meeting, and an in-person meeting in conjunction with the Surgery Summit in October. As much as possible, it is necessary for all committee members to attend these meetings. CE Committee members receive complimentary Surgery Summit registration. Additional meetings are scheduled as needed.
Benefits of service:

• CEC laboratory subcommittee members will receive reimbursement for hotel accommodations at the Surgery Summit headquarter hotels, or less expensive hotel, Monday–Wednesday evenings, and complimentary Surgery Summit registration.
• CEC members who are not laboratory subcommittee members will receive reimbursement for hotel accommodations at the Summit headquarter hotels, or less expensive hotel, on Wednesday evening (the day of the CEC meeting), and complimentary Surgery Summit registration. Note that in addition to attending the CEC meeting, you may be asked to support the Summit onsite in some other ways, for example, serving as a Residents’ Forum abstract reviewer or discussant, or poster judge.

Workload: Heavy, year-round.
Term of service: Subcommittee member terms are three years. Terms begin in February.
Prerequisite: None
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: One discussant is assigned to each scientific abstract in the Small and Large Animal Residents’ Forums at the ACVS Surgery Summit. Discussants are selected prior to the Surgery Summit and provided with the long abstract to review prior to the Forums. The role of the discussant is to initiate discussion of their assigned resident’s scientific abstract. Discussion should be thoughtful, professional, and respectful of the resident’s work. Questions should include, but are not limited to, clarification or rationale for study design and methodology or results; clinical application of the work; and future directions. The questions posed should give the resident an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge on the topic and highlight their thought process.
Committee meetings: None. Must be able to attend the assigned Residents’ Forum presentation at the Surgery Summit.
Benefits of service: Discussants at the Residents’ Forums will receive a $200 discount on Summit registration.
Workload: Light. Discussants must read the assigned long abstract and prepare 2-3 questions for the discussion period.
Term of service: Three months
Prerequisite: None
When to Apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: Scientific abstract reviewers evaluate abstracts submitted for presentation at the ACVS Surgery Summit. There are seven Scientific Subcommittees: Small Animal Residents’ Forum, Large Animal Residents’ Forum, Poster Session, Small Animal Orthopedic, Large Animal Orthopedic, Small Animal General, and Large Animal General. Reviewers for the Residents’ Forums and the Poster Session also serve as judges for the Outstanding Surgery Residents’ Awards during the Surgery Summit.
Benefits of service: Scientific abstract reviewers earn two maintenance of certification activity points per term of service. Reviewers for the Residents’ Forums and the Poster Session also serve as judges for the Outstanding Surgery Residents’ Awards during the Surgery Summit and receive a $200 discount on Summit registration.
Committee meetings: None. Attendance at the Residents’ Forum or Poster Session during the 2025 Surgery Summit is required for reviewers on those subcommittees. The 2025 Surgery Summit is October 23–25, 2025, in Seattle, WA.
Workload: Moderate workload with two-week turnaround time for the evaluation process, which begins early May 2025.
Term of service: Abstract reviewers will be notified in April 2025 and review and score all abstracts in May 2025. Each reviewer may be responsible for reviewing up to 50 abstracts.
Prerequisite: None
When to Apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC) is charged with identifying and developing meaningful ways to build opportunities for all ACVS Diplomates and residents to participate in and engage with the College.
Committee meetings: The DEIC meets monthly via Zoom and conducts most of its work by email. Additional remote meetings may be scheduled based on the needs of DEIC initiatives.
Workload: Moderate
Term of service:  Four years. Terms begin November 1 and end October 31.
Positions available in 2025: Two Diplomates. Members of BIPOC, LGTBQIA+, and other underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply.
Prerequisite: Candidates must have a deep interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion and a commitment to working collaboratively. After submitting the volunteer opportunities form, applicants must provide a one-page letter of interest indicating 1) why they want to join the committee, and 2) the experiences and activities they have had that demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Letters of interest will be evaluated across four criteria: intent/focus, passion, commitment, and engagement.
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Additional information required: After submitting the volunteer opportunities form, please provide the required additional information by emailing your letter of interest to leaders@acvs.org.

Responsibilities: Articles in the dvm360 magazine are written for the primary care practitioner with basic surgical knowledge and provide tips for preoperative preparation, surgical techniques, and postoperative care. As an example, an article might discuss “how to avoid this possible complication” or “when doing this, here’s something to remember that might make things easier.” Articles are typically 500-800 words in length. dvm360 magazine compensates writers $150 for each article published.
Note: Volunteers who write for dvm360 magazine surgery articles may also volunteer to serve on a committee or advisory group.
Benefits of service: Authors of dvm360 articles can earn two maintenance of certification activity points per article published.
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: The Examination Committee (EC), working with an examination consultant, prepares, administers, and grades the Phase I Surgical Knowledge Examination and Phase II Surgical Competency Examination.
Committee meetings: Seven to eight meetings per year. Three planned in-person meetings: a summer workshop in July/August, a fall workshop just before the Surgery Summit, and a grading session for the Phase II examination in February/March. The committee also meets virtually four to five times.
Benefits of service: Examination Committee members will receive reimbursement for actual roundtrip coach/economy airfare and hotel accommodations for the in-person meetings, subject to ACVS reimbursement policies and complimentary Surgery Summit registration. Examination Committee members earn twenty maintenance of certification activity points per year of service.
Workload: Heavy. Year-round responsibilities.
Term of service: Three-plus years. Terms begin June 1 and end after the grading of the Phase II examination (February/March).
Prerequisite: Committee members must have been an ACVS Diplomate for at least five years.
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: The Maintenance of Certification Committee (MCC) provides guidance to Diplomates concerning maintenance of certification (MOC) requirements; reviews and evaluates all Diplomate requests for approval of additional activities for MOC credit; conducts audits of Diplomate MOC records; and makes recommendations to the Board of Regents for certification renewal and changes to the Approved Activities List. In addition, the committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of Regents regarding reinstatement of formerly board-certified individuals and hardship extension requests.
Committee meetings: MCC business is conducted primarily using Zoom or MS Teams and email, with five or more calls per year.
Workload: Moderate. Diplomate additional activity requests are reviewed year-round. MOC record audit results are reviewed November–December.
Term of service: Three years. Terms begin August 1 and end July 31.
Positions available in 2025: Two: one large animal, one small animal. All Diplomates are eligible. A subset of the committee must have achieved certification in 2016 or later and be subject to MOC.
Prerequisite: None
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: The Nominating Committee (NC) invites and evaluates nominations for president-elect and two regents and nominations for recipients of three ACVS and two ACVS Foundation awards.
Committee meetings: No in-person meetings. At least three conference calls are held during the year.
Workload: Moderate. The primary work of the committee is done between January and June.
Term of service: Two years. Terms begin November 1 and end October 31.
Positions available in 2025: Two: one large animal, one small animal
Prerequisite: NC members must have been an ACVS Diplomate for a minimum of 10 years.
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: The Research Committee evaluates research proposals by Diplomates and surgery residents submitted through the ACVS Foundation Research Grant Programs and makes recommendations to the Board of Regents for fund allocations. The committee also selects recipients of the Outstanding Surgery Residents’ Veterinary Surgery Publication Award for resident-authored manuscripts published in Veterinary Surgery.
Committee meetings: Three conference calls per year.
Benefits of service: Research Committee members earn ten maintenance of certification activity points per year during their term.
Workload: Moderate to heavy. Grant proposals are reviewed January–March. Resident manuscripts are evaluated June–September.
Term of service: Three years. Terms begin November 1 and end October 31.
Positions available in 2025: Three: two small animal Diplomates, one large animal Diplomate
Prerequisite: None
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: The Residency Program Compliance Committee (PCC) reviews all residency program applications (initial and annual renewals) and makes recommendations for registration status to the Board of Regents; determines and monitors program compliance; places programs on probation or suspension for noncompliance; conducts site visits to evaluate program compliance as necessary; removes programs from probation or suspensions when compliance is reestablished; reports program status; and makes recommendations for changes in program requirements to the Board of Regents in conjunction with the Resident Credentialing Committee.
Committee meetings: One held annually the Tuesday and Wednesday before the Surgery Summit. Additional meetings via Zoom or MS Teams may be scheduled based on the needs of committee initiatives. A significant amount of committee business is conducted by email throughout the year.
Benefits of service: PCC members will receive reimbursement for actual round-trip coach/economy airfare to the meeting, subject to ACVS reimbursement policies; reimbursement for hotel accommodations at the Surgery Summit headquarter hotels, or less expensive hotel, for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; and non-transferable complimentary Surgery Summit registration.
Workload: Heavy. Program registration applications are reviewed late August through November. Monitoring program compliance and reviewing programs on probation occur throughout the year.
Term of service: Three years. Terms begin November 1 and end December 31.
Positions available in 2025: Five: two large animal Diplomates, three small animal Diplomates. A subset of the committee must have experience as either a resident advisor or program director. The committee also strives to have equal representation of private practice and academia. Interested volunteers must include any program director and/or resident advisor experience and employment experience (academia, private practice) on the volunteer opportunities form.
Prerequisite: PCC members must have been an ACVS Diplomate for a minimum of five years.
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: The Resident Credentialing Committee (RCC) evaluates resident training logs, residency documentation, credentials applications, and applications for dual certification. The committee provides support and guidance to residents, residency program directors, and resident advisors according to standards and procedures adopted by ACVS. The committee evaluates all applications for membership (credentials) in the College and makes recommendations to the Board of Regents. The committee makes recommendations for changes in program requirements to the Board in conjunction with the Residency Program Compliance Committee.
Committee meetings: At least one conference call per year.
Benefits of service: Resident Credentialing Committee members earn three maintenance of certification activity points per year of their term.
Workload: Heavy. Resident logs are reviewed February–April; resident logs, credentials applications, and applications for dual certification are reviewed August–October.
Term of service: Four years. Terms begin November 1 and end December 31.
Positions available in 2025: Five: two large animal Diplomates, three small animal Diplomates
Prerequisite: None
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Responsibilities: Veterinary Surgery associate editors are primarily responsible for managing the review, editing, and publication of manuscripts submitted to Veterinary Surgery, including all revisions of assigned manuscripts, even those which may extend beyond the three-year term. Other responsibilities include assigning reviewers, synthesizing reviewer comments, providing editorial reviews, and making a recommendation to the editor-in-chief on the suitability of submissions for publication. The ability to participate in conference calls during the year is required. Associate editors receive an annual stipend. The position has a three-year, renewable term.
Committee meetings: At least one conference call.
Workload: Heavy. Associate editors typically manage approximately 50 manuscripts per year (original submissions and revisions), with an estimated commitment of two to four hours per manuscript reviewed and four to eight hours per manuscript edited. Associate editors are expected to attend the annual editors’ meeting (virtual) each fall.  The position has a three-year, renewable term that starts November 1, 2025, and ends October 31, 2028.
Associate editors receive an annual stipend.
Term of service: Three years. Terms begin November 1 and end October 31.
Positions available in 2025: One
Prerequisite: Must be familiar with the current scientific literature in small animal orthopedic and neurologic surgery and fluent in scientific English. Preference given to those who have been an ACVS Diplomate for at least five years and have had previous service on the Veterinary Surgery Editorial Review Board or other peer-review and/or editorial experience.
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Additional Information Required: After submitting the volunteer opportunities form to indicate interest in this position, provide the required additional information by submitting the Veterinary Surgery associate editor application form.

Responsibilities: Veterinary Surgery Editorial Review Board members are responsible for reviewing manuscripts submitted to Veterinary Surgery, including all revisions of assigned manuscripts, even those that may extend beyond the three-year term. Members are expected to accept manuscript assignments and complete reviews with constructive feedback in a timely manner, ideally within seven days of assignment.
Note:Volunteers who serve on the Editorial Review Board may also volunteer to serve on a committee or advisory group.
Committee meetings: None
Benefits of service: Editorial Review Board members earn two maintenance of certification activity points for each manuscript reviewed.
Workload: Moderate to heavy. An estimated seven to nine manuscripts will be assigned each year.
Term of service: Three years. Terms begin November 1 and end October 31.
Positions available in 2025: Approximately 15
Prerequisite: None; preference is given to those with experience in publishing or reviewing manuscripts on topics related to veterinary surgery. All volunteers are welcome; however, there is a particular need for the following areas of expertise: 3D printing and implant testing, biomechanics, gastrointestinal surgery, general soft tissue surgery, hepatic surgery and disease management, imaging and radiology, interventional/minimally invasive surgery, kinetics/kinematic gait analysis, neurosurgery, oncologic surgery, pharmacology and toxicology, reconstructive surgery, respiratory surgery, sports medicine and rehabilitation, surgery site infections and infectious disease, thoracic and airway surgery, and urogenital surgery.
When to apply: Applications are closed.

Additional information required: After submitting the volunteer opportunities form to indicate interest in this position, provide the required additional information by submitting the Veterinary Surgery editorial review board application form.