American College of Veterinary Surgeons Examinations

The American College of Veterinary Surgeons is the American Veterinary Medical Association recognized veterinary specialty board which sets the standards for advanced professionalism in veterinary surgery. Requirements for board certification include: successful completion and approval of all residency training requirements; successful submission and acceptance of a scientific manuscript in an approved journal; submission and acceptance of a Credentials Application; and successful passing of all components of the Examination.

The ACVS Examination consists of two parts: Phase I Surgical Knowledge and Phase II Surgical Competency. The Phase I examination is taken during the residency and is a requirement for submitting the credentials application. The Phase II examination is taken after acceptance of credentials by ACVS. Both ACVS examinations are coordinated through the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO). Both examinations are offered at Pearson VUE Test Centers, but Phase II must be taken at a Pearson Professional Center.

Examination Registration

Before scheduling an examination appointment at a Pearson VUE Test Center, you must have already:

• Registered for the examination with ACVS, and submitted a request for accommodations to ACVS, if desired and
• Received an Examination Authorization email from ACVS.

Scheduling

The Phase II examination will be held February 3-4, 2025, in the Americas and Europe. The examination will be held February 4-5 for candidates in Asia and Oceania. The Phase II examination is composed of two sections: case-based and practical. These sections are administered in an approximately four-hour examination period on separate days. There is an optional break of up to 15 minutes midway through each section. Examinees must remain at the test center during the breaks. Refer to the ACVS Phase II Surgical Competency Examination Information Pamphlet for all policies.

The Phase II examination is offered solely at Pearson Professional Test Centers as only these centers meet the standards for taking the examination. Candidates should review the scheduling options in the Pearson system by verifying that the available appointments are at Pearson Professional Centers.

The Phase I examination will be held April 7, 2025, in the Americas and Europe. The examination will be held April 8 for candidates in Asia and Oceania. The examination is administered in two parts during a seven-hour period with an optional break of up to one hour between the parts. Examinees must remain at the test center during the break. Refer to the ACVS Phase I Surgical Knowledge Examination Information Pamphlet for all policies.

Examinees may schedule their test appointment online or by telephone. To schedule online, you must first create a Pearson VUE web account. Please note that account creation may require up to 24 hours. You will be notified by email when your account is activated.

To schedule your test, you will need the Candidate ID (HumRRO ID) and Authorization ID from your Examination Authorization email. Test appointments may be made up to one business day in advance of the scheduled examination date, but be aware that many test centers fill prior to that date. You are encouraged to schedule your appointment as soon as possible after receiving the authorization email.

After you schedule your test, Pearson VUE will send a confirmation letter listing your test date, your testing time, the address and phone number of the test center, and directions to the test center.

You will need to bring your Examination Authorization email and one government-issued photo ID with signature to the testing center. The information on your photo ID must match the identification information you provided ACVS when you registered for the examination.

Cancellation

In the event that a candidate needs to cancel their examination registration, the candidate must contact ACVS and Pearson VUE, if they have scheduled an appointment. Refer to the information pamphlets for refund policies.

Contact ACVS

301-916-0200
Toll free: 877-217-ACVS (2287)
certification@acvs.org