News and Updates

The NAVLE is more than an exam – and it must be protected.

Every day, veterinarians come to work ready to champion the health and welfare of our animals and to protect the public. These hard-working and passionate individuals regularly enter high-pressure circumstances with potentially life-saving consequences – and spend years diligently training in order to do so.

For over two decades, the culmination of this training has been the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) – a test comprised of 360 clinically relevant multiple-choice questions assessing knowledge required for competent entry level veterinary practice. In many ways, the NAVLE serves as a necessary precursor to the profession, ensuring that all candidates possess the knowledge required to practice veterinary medicine at an entry level with confidence.

As administrator of the NAVLE, we at ICVA take great pride in helping candidates prepare for the exam by offering the NAVLE Self-Assessment, which is the only preparatory tool that uses retired NAVLE test questions. The NAVLE Self-Assessment is built to the NAVLE blueprint, providing specific features (such as timing modules and performance feedback) designed to mimic the experience of the actual exam.

Unfortunately, in direct violation of our terms of use and copyright, the ICVA was recently notified that the NAVLE Self-Assessment was inputted into three large language models (LLMs), which are a form of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. To our knowledge, the NAVLE Self-Assessment is not currently accessible on these LLMs, but it could be in the future. This may lead to misinformation, and ultimately not fully prepare candidates to take the NAVLE with confidence. While we’re passionate about the potential of technology, specifically AI, to further the field of veterinary medicine, we also recognize that it alone cannot replace the end-to-end learning experience that the NAVLE Self-Assessment provides.

Truthfully, the value of the NAVLE Self-Assessment extends well beyond the questions; it’s a tool designed to help NAVLE candidates get accustomed to the rigors of the full test. Candidates have the benefit of not only gaining experience with the NAVLE item formats through retired questions, but also immersing themselves in the realities of test day – leveraging the same timing module and scoring features that can be invaluable in preparing for the NAVLE.

For these reasons and more, the validity of the NAVLE Self-Assessment remains intact. We want to assure all candidates, academic institutions and licensing boards that there are no issues or concerns with the content of the Self-Assessment or the NAVLE. And, as the NAVLE Self-Assessment is a crucial asset NAVLE preparation, it will remain available for candidates. Although these unfortunate circumstances represent a stark contrast to the spirit and ideals that this exam has come to represent, we remain committed to using the NAVLE Self-Assessment to help train new generations of aspiring veterinarians for years to come.