Veterinary Clinical Skills Assessment

There are two pathways by which you may complete the Step 4: Clinical Proficiency requirement for the PAVE Program.

Pathway 1: The Evaluated Clinical Experience (ECE)

This pathway is for currently enrolled students OR veterinary graduates from non-accredited veterinary schools uses the Evaluated Clinical Experience. The ECE may be completed pre- or post-graduation. For further information on the Evaluated Clinical Experience, please click here.

Pathway 2: The Veterinary Clinical Skills Assessment (VCSA)

This pathway is for graduates of non-accredited veterinary schools. PAVE candidates who do not pass the QE prior to their first clinical rotation would need to take the VCSA to meet the clinical proficiency requirement for the PAVE Program.

The Veterinary Clinical Skills Assessment (VCSA) examination was developed to evaluate entry level clinical skills for international veterinary graduates. It is one of the two pathways by which international veterinary graduates may achieve PAVE certification. The VCSA is administered at Cedar Valley College in Dallas, TX.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Verification of Credentials
2. Demonstration of English proficiency
3. Successful completion of the Qualifying Examination
4. Graduation from a non-accredited veterinary college outside of the United States.

Format

Two day examination in 4 sections:

1. Clinical Skills and Physical Examination
2. Laboratory, Radiology, and Necropsy
3. Anesthesia and Surgery
4. Clinical Encounters (small and large animal cases)

There will be no January 2012 VCSA examination.
Please click here for information regarding the Evaluated Clinical Experience.

About the VCSA

• Administered once per year to a minimum of six candidates.*
• Additional administrations may be scheduled based on need.
• Developed and administered by the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.
• Candidates must pass the examination in its entirety; retakers must repeat the entire examination.
• Candidates who pass the VCSA will be eligible for PAVE Certification.

*Examination fees and administration details are subject to change at the discretion of the AAVSB Board of Directors.

The Clinical Encounter

The PAVE Program's VCSA examination is the first to include a component which evaluates a veterinarian's ability to communicate with their clients.

Communication is recognized by licensing boards as extremely important, and for that reason, the VCSA has been structured to include several clinical encounters based on both small animal and large animal cases.

In the encounters, candidates will interact with persons trained to portray clients, and their performance will be observed and evaluated by trained examiners.

The clinical encounters are based on similar assessments of communications skills now being used to evaluate licensure candidates in human medicine and other professions.