ACPV Policy on Credentialing

American College of Poultry Veterinarians
ACPV Packet & Policy Credentialing

ACPV Policy on Credentialing

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1.0 Introduction

Applicants are referred to the requirements for credentialing which are incorporated in Article IV, Section 4-03(a) of by-laws of the College. This interpretation is intended to guide applicants and reflects the policy of the Credentials Committee, approved by the Board of the College. The policy is based on experience during the past 7 years relating the qualifications and experience of applicants to their subsequent performance on the Certification Examination.

2.0 Publications

The intention of the publications requirement is to confirm that the candidate has made a contribution to knowledge in the field of poultry veterinary medicine and is capable of communicating to peers in writing, observations relating to field cases or basic and applied research.

The publications will be judged on the following criteria:

Originality of the material
Potential contribution to the profession and the industry
An evaluation of the journal or publication. Peer-reviewed journals such as Avian Diseases, Avian Pathology, Poultry Science, Journal of Applied Poultry Research and equivalent publications will be considered as highly acceptable. Industry periodicals including the Watt, Elsevier, and similar publications which are widely read and maintain acceptable editorial standards will also be considered.
Company reports or studies with restricted circulation will also be acceptable providing they indicate a structured approach to identifying and defining problems, applying scientific principles and incorporate acceptable organization and presentation. These "confidential" documents and reports will be reviewed only by the Committee and will be returned to the applicant.

It is required that the copies of publications submitted will either be in English or that the applicant will provide a copy of the original article together with a certified translation, if not published in English.

General review articles may be acceptable if the author undertakes a structured and interpretive review of available literature with appropriate citations. Reproduction of material available in published texts, procedures manuals and promotional material issued by breeders, pharmaceutical or biologics manufacturers will not satisfy the publications requirement. Abstracts of platform or poster presentations are not acceptable in terms of the publications requirement.

3.0 Experience

The Committee will review the experience of applicants based on documented exposure to one or more segments of the poultry industry including breeding, commercial egg, turkey or broiler production. Aspects of the poultry industry including but not limited to food safety, epidemiology, genetics, nutrition, management, economics, and specifically prevention, diagnosis and management of disease will be evaluated. The Committee recognizes that broad exposure to a number of sub-disciplines within poultry veterinary medicine as enumerated above is essential for success in the Certification Examination. Credentialing will be denied a candidate if, in the opinion of the Committee, experience is limited to laboratory studies, or a single commercial species, or one or two narrow aspects of veterinary medicine that would be more appropriate to diplomate status in microbiology or pathology.

It is incumbent on applicants to document their experience with detailed descriptions of past experience. Evaluation will be facilitated by the applicant providing a schedule tabulating date and place of employment, job title and a brief description of responsibilities. It is necessary to provide sufficient information to assure the Committee that the applicant has attained the necessary field experience and exposure to poultry veterinary medicine consistent with alternative route to credentialing, as defined in the Policies and Procedures Manual of the American Board of Veterinary Specialists.

Candidates who have successfully completed an approved residency program will be deemed to have acquired sufficient experience for credentialing.

4.0 Sponsorship by ACPV Diplomates

Three nominations submitted in confidence by members of the College in good standing are required to support the credentialing of the applicant. It is expected that sponsors will provide a frank and factual appraisal of the applicant in relation to suitability to practice poultry veterinary medicine. If candidates do not consider that they comply with the requirements in relation to publications and especially practical experience, they should not embarrass members of the College by requesting recommendations based on commercial considerations or social relationships.

If however, in the opinion of the Committee, there is a discrepancy between the information as provided by the applicant and the appraisal by one or more sponsors, additional documentation may be requested or the application my be denied or deferred.

5.0 College Training

Applicants must have earned a DVM or VMD or an equivalent veterinary qualification which would enable the applicant to practice veterinary medicine in the USA or another country.

It is necessary for the candidate to document the primary veterinary degree from an AVMA-approved College or School of Veterinary Medicine by submission of a notarized copy of the diploma. In the event of an applicant earning a degree from other than an AVMA-approved veterinary school or college, it will be necessary to supply a notarized copy of the diploma in English or a copy of the original with a certified English translation, together with an official transcript and a certified English translation.

Documentation, including a notarized copy of a certificate of completion of residency, will be required for candidates applying for credentialing under the provisions of the conventional training route.

Notarized copies of post-graduate degree diplomas and certificates should be provided together with certified translations into English where relevant.

6.0 License

A notarized copy of a license issued by a responsible state, provincial or government agency is required, certifying that the applicant is licensed to practice veterinary medicine. If the license is issued in a language other than English, a certified translation will be required. Certain countries allow graduates of their national college of veterinary medicine to practice without the formality of a license. Under these circumstances, it will be necessary for the applicant to provide documentation form either the national Registrar of Veterinarians, the Department of Agriculture or the dean of the college of graduation confirming that the candidate is qualified to practice veterinary medicine. Affidavits from existing members of the College in good standing who were credentialed under similar circumstances will be acceptable under appropriate circumstances.

7.0 Application Deadline

All candidates are required to submit the completed application package to the Secretary/Treasurer by November 1 of each year. This is an absolute final date and no extensions will be granted. Incomplete applications will either be returned or will be deferred until the following year. Although the candidate has no direct control over the submission of the three letters of sponsorship, it is expected that appropriate contact between the candidate and recommender will ensure receipt of the letters of sponsorship by the November 1 cut-off date.

8.0 Review Procedure

The completed application packages are reviewed by the Secretary/Treasurer for completeness and the applicant is assigned a file. Photocopies of the relevant documents are then sent to the member of the Credential Committee who review each candidate in relation to the criteria relating to publications, experience, recommendations by sponsors, formal training and licensing. Each candidate is considered in a conference call and the decision regarding acceptability is based on the value judgment of the members of the Credential Committee. A formal report listing the accepted and rejected candidates is then sent to the Secretary/Treasurer. Unsuccessful applicants are informed of their status and have the right to appeal any adverse decision as outlined in the by-laws which conform to the requirements of the American Board of Veterinary Specialties. The list of approved and rejected candidates is ratified by the Board of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians at a meeting in January of each year. Candidates are appraised of their status in writing by the Secretary/Treasurer subsequent to adoption of the report of the Credentials Committee by the Board.

The various stages in review and approval ensure that all candidates are considered on an equitable basis and that the best interests of the College, the profession and its constituencies are served. The need to respond to all sections of the applications package in detail and to provide supporting documentation including certificates, translations as required and publications is essential to a fair evaluation.

It must be remembered that the members of the Credentials Committee and the Board are all involved in the responsibilities and obligations of their professional appointments in academia, industry and regulatory veterinary medicine. All of the officers and committee members of the College provide their time on a voluntary basis and cannot be unduly pressured to revert to candidates in the event of missing information or documentation.

9.0 Questions

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Secretary/Treasurer in advance of the November 1 deadline regarding any aspect of the completion of the package or the review process. Routine matters can be dealt with by exchange of E-mail, fax or telephone. More complicated issues will be referred to the Chairperson or a member of the Credentials Review Committee.

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