ACVS Diplomate Maintenance of Certification Approved Activities List

Continuing Education 
View approved meetings for each category

Maximum points allowed

Category 1: Attendance at the ACVS Surgery Summit.
(upload copy of CE certificate)

25 per meeting

Category 2: Attendance at Diplomate-level national or international surgical meetings.
A half-day is defined as 4 hours.
(upload copy of program schedule and CE certificate or certificate of attendance).

7 per meeting day**
(3 per half-day)**
max. 50 per cycle

Category 3: Attendance at Diplomate-level national or international surgical laboratory
training sessions. A half-day laboratory is defined as 4 hours.
(upload copy of program schedule and CE certificate or certificate of attendance).

7 per full laboratory day**
(3 per half-day laboratory)
max. 50 per cycle

Category 4: Attendance at human surgery specialty (clinical or research) meetings.
A half-day is defined as 4 hours.
(upload copy of program schedule and CE certificate or certificate of attendance)

5 per meeting day**
(2 per half-day)**
max. 30 per cycle

Category 5: Attendance at national veterinary specialty meeting, non-surgery topic.
A half-day is defined as 4 hours.
(upload copy of program schedule and CE certificate or certificate of attendance)

2 per meeting day**
(1 per half-day)**
max. 20 per cycle

Presentations 
View requirements for original material.

Maximum points allowed

Presentation of original material at Diplomate-level national or international meetings designated as Category 1, 2, or 3 above
(upload copy of abstract or proceeding)
Minimum of 30-minute presentation.  No partial credit given.

5 per ½ hour, 10 per hour

Presentation of original material in brief abstract form at Diplomate-level national or international meetings designated as Category 1, 2, or 3 above
(upload copy of abstract or proceeding)

5 points per presentation under 30 minutes**

Presentation of original material as a scientific poster at Diplomate-level national or international meetings designated as Category 1, 2, or 3 above
(upload copy of poster abstract or proceeding)

5 points per presentation**

Participation as a panelist at a Diplomate-level national or international meetings designated as Category 1, 2, or 3 above
(upload copy of proceedings page)

2 points per panel activity

Continuing education lecture and/or laboratory instruction (non-original material) at national or international meetings
(upload copy of abstract or proceeding)

5 per presentation or laboratory
max. 50 per cycle

Continuing education webinar presentation
(upload copy of abstract or proceeding)

2 per presentation

Presentation to local / state / regional veterinary group
(upload copy of abstract or proceeding)

2 per presentation
max. 30 per cycle

Resident Advisor or primary advisor for a presentation by a student / intern / resident lecturing at a national or international scientific meeting (upload copy of abstract or proceeding or other proof of formal mentoring relationship with the presenter)

1 per lecture
max. 25 per cycle

Publications / Accepted Manuscripts 

These may be published works or manuscripts currently accepted for publication.  See Appendix C for requirements for original material.

Maximum points allowed

Publication of original work in peer-reviewed journal as first author. 
(upload reference or journal acceptance letter for each publication)

20 per publication

Publication of original work in peer-reviewed journal as primary advisor behind an ACVS resident as first author.  Only the primary advisor of an ACVS resident-authored paper can claim 10 points.  Other contributing authors should claim 5 points as non-first author (see next option).
(upload reference or journal acceptance letter for each publication)

10 per publication

Publication of original work in peer-reviewed journal as non-first author
(upload reference or journal acceptance letter that includes the Diplomate name as an author for each publication).  If the journal acceptance letter does not list all authors, an accompanying assertion of authorship by the journal editor or senior author is required to validate points awarded in this category.

5 per publication

Publication of review articles as first author
(upload reference for each publication)

10 per publication

Publication of case reports, etc. as first author
(upload reference for each publication)

5 per publication

Publication of textbook chapters as sole author or as co-author
(upload reference for each chapter)

10 per chapter (sole author)
5 per chapter (co-author)

Author of ACVS “Animal Health Topic” articles and “Surgery STAT” articles accepted by the Public Outreach Committee
(upload notification of acceptance from the Public Outreach Committee).

2 per article

Editor / Reviewer (on review board or ad hoc for journal) for journal or textbook
(upload confirmation or email from Editor)

2 per reviewed paper / chapter

Examination/Specialty Training

These activities must be completed after initial certification is achieved and prior to current certificate expiration. (i.e. within the Diplomate's certification period) 

Maximum points allowed

Take and pass the ACVS Phase II Examination in species of certification (small or large animal)

100

Completion of an ACVS Fellowship and approved as an ACVS Fellow

100

Completion of certification in another ABVS-recognized veterinary specialty
(upload notice of achieving board certification)

100

ACVS Committee Service

Maximum points allowed

Examination Committee

20 per year of service

Research Committee

10 per year of service

Resident Credentialing Committee

3 per year of service

ACVS Reviewer Service

Maximum points allowed

Reviewer of “Animal Health Topics” or “Surgery STAT” articles for the Public Outreach Committee

1 per article
max. 25 per cycle

Reviewer of ACVS Surgery Summit scientific abstracts

2 per year of service

Resident Advisor for ACVS Registered Residency Training Program

Program must have a valid registration with ACVS during the effective dates of supervision in order to receive points. If a program’s registration is suspended, the period of time between the suspension and reinstatement of registration cannot be counted toward maintenance of certification.

Maximum points allowed

Name of resident(s) and effective dates of supervision

2 per resident per 6 mos.
max. 30 per cycle

Online Training/Assessment Modules

Online modules must be pre-approved by the Maintenance of Certification Committee (MCC) for use as a maintenance of certification activity.  See requirements on receiving pre-approval of an online module

Maximum points allowed

ACVS Continuing Education Webinars. Minimum 1 hour in length.
Each additional 1/2 hour will receive 1/2 point.(upload copy of completion certificate)

1 point per webinar hour**
1/2 point per additional half-hour**

ACVS Educational Partners Webinars Approved for Maintenance of Certification. Minimum 1 hour in length.
Each additional 1/2 hour will receive 1/2 point. (upload copy of completion certificate)

1 point per webinar hour
1/2 point per additional half-hour**

Completion of an approved online training/assessment module. (upload notification of approval by MCC)

TBD
(max 10 points per module)

Creation of an original online training/assessment module which receives approval by the MCC for use by ACVS Diplomates for maintenance of certification.

TBD
(max 20 points per module)

Additional Activities Approved by the Maintenance of Certification Committee (MCC)

All such requests may be submitted to the MCC any time prior to the activity or not later than 90 days after the activity concludes. Requests submitted more than 90 days after the activity will not be considered for individual activity points. NOTE: Diplomates certified in 2016 have until July 31, 2018 to submit requests for evaluation of additional activities completed in 2016.

Maximum points allowed

A Diplomate may submit a written request to the MCC for a specific activity to be approved for maintenance of certification points. An activity is approved for the requesting Diplomate-only.
Examples include surgery-related case reports with an attached literature review, surgery case logs detailing cutting-edge case care, meetings that are not automatically recognized, etc.

Maximum 50 points/MOC cycle. Number of points are designated upon approval by the MCC.