Phase II Examination

2027 Phase II Surgical Competency Examination Dates

February 8–9: Pearson Professional Test Centers (Americas and Europe)
February 9-10: Pearson Professional Test Centers (Asia and Oceania)

Registration opens: May 26, 2026
Registration deadline: July 22, 2026

Registration
Fee
Examination Schedule
Accommodations
Materials
Appointment Scheduling
Support
Cancellation and Refund
Questions
Maintenance of Certification
Future Dates

Examination Registration

Registration is available to all existing candidates, candidates who plan to submit a recredentialing application in 2026, and residents who plan to submit a credentials application in 2026. Registration will allow potential examinees to schedule an appointment with Pearson starting in mid-August 2026, while waiting to see if credentials are accepted. Should an individual’s credentials or recredentialing application not be accepted by ACVS, they are no longer eligible to take the Phase II examination, must cancel their appointment with Pearson, and must request an examination fee refund if paid earlier than November 2.

Please note that there are separate deadlines and fees for the credentials application and examination registration.

Complete examination registration includes submitting the online registration form and paying the examination fee.

Phase II registration deadline: July 22, 2026, 11:59 pm (Eastern Daylight Time)

To register, log in to CERT, select Application, select Phase II Surgical Competency Examination, and click Register for Exam.

Examination Fee

The examination fee is due November 2, 2026. There are two options for paying the 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 November 2. Mailed examination fee payments must arrive by close of business (5 pm Eastern Standard Time) on November 2, 2026, at the ACVS office.

Fee for first-time candidates = $3,000
Fee for repeat candidates = $2,150

Available to candidates who have taken the Phase II examination previously or are in the dual certification process.

Examination Schedule

Location	Date	Session
Virtual	January (date to be determined)	Examination Information Session
Americas and Europe	Monday, February 8	Small Animal Practical—Parts 1 and 2 Large Animal Case Based–Orthopedic/Neurosurgery and Soft Tissue
Americas and Europe	Tuesday, February 9	Small Animal Case-based—Orthopedic/Neurosurgery and Soft Tissue Large Animal Practical—Parts 1 and 2
Asia and Oceania	Tuesday, February 9	Small Animal Practical—Parts 1 and 2 Large Animal Case Based–Orthopedic/ Neurosurgery and Soft Tissue
Asia and Oceania	Wednesday, February 10	Small Animal Case-based—Orthopedic/ Neurosurgery and Soft Tissue Large Animal Practical—Parts 1 and 2

Requesting Accommodations

All candidates who intend to take the 2027 ACVS Phase II Surgical Competency 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 in the Phase II Surgical Competency 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) Thursday, December 10, 2026. ACVS will make every effort to provide a determination within 10 business days.

Examination Materials

2027 Phase II Surgical Competency Examination Information Pamphlet—available in late May

2027 Phase II Reading List

2027 Phase II Examination Blueprint, updated as part of the 2024–2025 ACVS Job Analysis

Large animal list changes:

American Journal of Veterinary Research added to the three-year list

Small animal list changes:

American Journal of Veterinary Research added to the three-year list
Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care removed from the three-year list

Examination Authorization and Scheduling

ACVS has made every attempt to authorize candidates as early as possible before the scheduled examination date. Candidates should make appointments with Pearson promptly after receiving their Examination Authorization email to ensure an appointment with minimal travel required. Examination Authorization emails will be sent in mid-to-late August 2026.

Once you receive your Candidate ID and Authorization ID, please use them to create a Pearson online account and schedule your examination. Pearson 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 will notify you by email when your account is activated. Once the account is activated, proceed to select a Pearson Professional 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.

Pearson Professional Test Centers Only

Based on the nature of the examination, ACVS requires candidates to take the Phase II examination at Pearson Professional Centers to ensure the optimal testing experience. Pearson has three levels of test centers, and all types will appear in the scheduling system on Pearson’s website.

Be certain to confirm that you have selected a Pearson Professional Center when selecting the location in Pearson’s scheduling system. Non-professional test centers are considered unsanctioned examination sites. Exceptions to this requirement will not be granted by ACVS.

Review the list of Pearson Professional Test Centers when scheduling your appointment at https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/acvs.html to ensure you are selecting a valid location for the ACVS Phase II examination.

Examination Support

Cancellation and Refund

If a candidate needs to cancel their examination registration, they must notify ACVS and cancel the appointment with Pearson. 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 II Surgical Competency Examination Information Pamphlet for the complete refund policy.

Questions?

Common questions are answered in the Examination FAQ. Address other questions about the Phase II 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.

Maintenance of Certification

Individuals who have passed the Phase II examination and are board certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2016 or later are subject to time-limited certification and must undergo mandatory maintenance of certification (MOC). Activities acceptable for maintaining certification should result in the acquisition of new knowledge by the Diplomate, such as attending or presenting at continuing education events, publishing manuscripts, serving on select ACVS committees, and serving as resident advisor. More information is available in the ACVS Diplomate Maintenance of Certification Policies and Procedures.

Costs associated with certification are available on the Your Veterinary Surgery Residency page. Additional information can be found on the Membership page.

Future Phase II Examination Dates

2028: To be determined