HomePhase II Credentials Review

ACVCP Phase II | Exam Credentials

No late submissions will be accepted.
Letters of final acceptance from editors for publications to comply with requirements to take the Phase II examination must be post-marked no later than February 1st, 2026 if the candidate intends to take the phase II examination in 2026.

To be eligible for the Phase II Examination, the following requirements must be met:

Pass Phase I of the Diplomate Certifying Examination.

Complete an approved ACVCP residency.

Complete the Credentials portion of your online ACVCP application.

Provide a list of courses you have taken as part of your training.

Provide course transcripts. Electronic transcripts are preferred. Paper transcripts can be mailed to the secretary (postmarked by Oct. 1).

Provide copies of two publications that meet Phase II exam requirements as described below. PDF submission is preferred.

Send a credentials fee of $250 US after you submit your Credentials application.

You will receive an email from the ACVCP treasurer with instructions to complete the PayPal "purchase". If you prefer, you may also mail your fee to the ACVCP treasurer (postmarked by Oct. 1).

Publication requirements

Two manuscripts which embody the research and clinical aspects of the discipline of veterinary clinical pharmacology, i.e., the factors that constitute rational drug therapy in animal patients. These manuscripts must be peer-reviewed and published or accepted for publication (with evidence of acceptance such as a letter from the journal editor) by February 1 in the year in which the candidate wishes to take the Phase II examination. Additionally, these manuscripts must not have been used as credentials for another veterinary specialty board, and they must have been published no more than 2 years before the beginning of the training program.

The candidate must be the first author on at least one of the manuscripts.

One manuscript must be an original research article in the area of veterinary clinical pharmacology. Some examples of acceptable topics include: Pharmacokinetics of drugs in veterinary species, Pharmacodynamics of drugs in veterinary species (in vitro or in vivo that support safety or efficacy), Drug interactions, Dose-response studies (in vitro or in vivo), Clinical trials of drugs in veterinary species, Development of models for studying pharmacodynamics of drugs or for use in clinical trials of drugs in veterinary species, Studies related to pharmacovigilance or pharmacoepidemiology of veterinary drugs, Pharmacogenetics or pharmacogenomics of drugs in veterinary species. If the manuscript does not fall within any of these categories, it may still be acceptable, but the candidate should contact the Credentials Committee Chair for guidance on acceptability at least 2 months prior to the deadline for submission of credentials.

The other manuscript must be either a published, peer-reviewed, original research article in the area of veterinary clinical pharmacology as described above; OR a published peer-reviewed, evidence-based, systematic or meta-analysis review of a veterinary therapeutic area.

Guidelines for writing systematic reviews include:

D. Moher, A. Liberati, J. Tetzlaff, and D.G. Altman, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement, 2009, 6(7): e1000097. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097.

J.M. Sargeant, A. Rajic, S. Read, A. Ohlsson, The process of systematic review and its application in agri-food public health, Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2006, 25: 141-151.

R.W. Wright, R.A. Brand, W. Dunn, and K.P. Spindler, How to Write a Systematic Review, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 2007, 455: 23-29.

These steps must be completed before midnight on October 1, 2025.

Following a successful review, notify ACVCP of your intent to take any Phase II exam during your period of eligibility.

Candidates who do not receive an email confirming receipt of their request for review within 24 hours of submission should contact the ACVCP Webmaster for verification.

Additional documentation (transcripts and publications) sent by mail to the Secretary of the ACVCP must be post-marked no later than October 1st, 2025. If fees are sent to the Treasurer of the ACVCP by mail they must be post-marked no later than October 1st, 2025.