A History Lesson: Creation of the NAVLE®

What are the origins of the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) and how has it changed since its inception?

In November of 2000, the NAVLE replaced paper-and-pencil tests such as the National Board Examination (NBE) and Clinical Competency Test (CCT) as the sole computer-based examination for veterinary medical licensure in the U.S. and Canada. This updated examination was made in large part to improve clinical relevance, scheduling convenience, and cost for candidates while simultaneously facilitating faster scoring and reporting to licensing boards.

The NAVLE as we know it today is produced in collaboration by the International Council for Veterinary Assessment (ICVA) and the National Board of Medical Examiners^® (NBME^®). Since the initial 2000-2001 testing cycle, the NAVLE has experienced nearly 70 percent growth, with 6,173 examinees taking the examination during the 2018-2019 testing cycle.

The NAVLE item content areas and examination structure are based on a blueprint that is developed through a practice analysis to determine the tasks that practitioners perform in practice and the knowledge required for competent performance of those tasks. The recent practice analysis resulted in a few important updates to the NAVLE blueprint. In addition to species and organ systems, items are now selected for the competencies they test (representing a shift from the previous activities classification). Another key blueprint update is singular coverage of aquatics and reptiles.

The NAVLE examination consists of 360 clinically relevant multiple-choice questions. Three hundred of the items are live (scored), with the remaining sixty items being pretest (unscored). The pretest items are dispersed throughout the test and are not noticeably different to candidates.

The NAVLE contains only single best answer questions in multiple-choice format. The questions are written to test the application of knowledge and discriminate between knowledgeable candidates and those who only memorize isolated facts.

Every NAVLE item is carefully written, edited, and reviewed to ensure relevancy to entry-level private clinical practice, following this process:

1. Subject Matter Expert (SME) Recruitment

ICVA recruits Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) covering the broad reach of the veterinary profession through a process that includes periodic calls for nominations, opportunities highlighted in our newsletter, and invitations directly from current ICVA volunteers. These new volunteers begin the SME process by attending the annual Item Writer Training Workshop. This training allows them to qualify to later participate in the NAVLE item writing and review process.

2. Item Writing

The NBME determines the content areas for item writing based on an analysis of the item bank and creates writing assignments for veterinarians based on their areas of subject matter expertise. New writers are trained annually in best practices for item writing and take part in a group writing activity to demonstrate the skills they’ve learned.

3. Item Editing and Review at the NBME

Items are developed through an iterative process. NBME editors review and edit items for style, grammar, and critical flaws. The items are then sent back to the SME writers for review and revision as needed. Following completion of the editing process, the SME writers meet at the NBME office for a group review of all newly written items.

4. Exam Construction

NBME constructs the initial version of the NAVLE, adhering to the examination blueprint and statistical targets. The Forms Review Committee reviews the exam to ensure all items are current, appropriate for entry-level private clinical practice, and accurate for both the U.S. and Canada. Any items that do not meet these criteria are replaced. The NBME editor incorporates these changes to develop the final examination forms.

5. Exam Administration

After the examination is administered and statistical analysis is gathered for each item, the Pool Review Committee evaluates all pretest items. Items reviewed are designated to be added to the item bank for use on future exams, sent for a rewrite, sent to another ICVA exam pool, or deleted.

To see sample NAVLE questions, visit the Practice NAVLE page. For more information about the NAVLE, visit the NAVLE Bulletin of Information for Candidates.