Assessment Development Committee Activities and New Additions
The ICVA Assessment Development Committee (ADC) plays a vital role in creating and maintaining the NAVLE®. It is responsible for forming the NAVLE Pool Review Committee and Form Review Committee, and ADC members participate in the annual pool and form reviews. Additionally, this committee provides guidance on as directed by the Board, appoints item writers, and validates scoring keys for ICVA’s assessments.
This committee is composed of a broad representation of species and content areas across veterinary medicine, and there are currently 11 members and one Board liaison. They identify candidates for vacancies on the ADC and submit recommended candidates to the Board for approval.
Four members have been approved to fill vacancies on the 2023-2024 Assessment Development Committee. Of the number of outstanding nominations ICVA received, two new members and two members eligible for reappointment were selected. These members bring a wealth of expertise and experience, further strengthening the committee’s mission to enhance the assessment landscape within veterinary medicine.
Learn about new and returning ADC members:
Dr. Gordon Atkins – Bovine, Dairy
Dr. Atkins has played a pivotal role in establishing and teaching the bovine curriculum at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and has been a faculty member for over 15 years. His focus extends beyond exam scores; Dr. Atkins is dedicated to preparing students as proficient bovine practitioners, a mission he pursues with diligence and dedication.
Dr. Atkins looks forward to letting his expertise in precise question design, honed through years of crafting exam questions at the University of Calgary and contributing to the Quiz Bowl question pool at the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), be put to work. His wealth of knowledge isn't confined to the classroom alone; he boasts over 50 years in large animal practice, particularly in dairy, cow-calf, and equine practices.
As he embarks on his journey as an ADC member, Dr. Atkins eagerly anticipates collaborating with like-minded professionals who share his passion for assessment and education, and the opportunity to give back to the profession that has given him so much.
Dr. Olivia Petritz – Exotic Companion Animal
Dr. Olivia Petritz was nominated by a former professor and brings an array of specialized experience to the committee. An associate professor at North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, where she began in 2017, Dr. Petritz’s current research interests involve avian therapeutics and imaging of exotic pet species.
Her residency and board certification have been focused on Zoological Companion Species (exotic pet species), and she boasts an impressive 15-year career spanning general private practice, specialty private practice, and academia in this field. Dr. Petritz’s ACZM residency at the University of California, Davis culminated in board certification, and paved the way for her to found an exotics service at a specialty hospital in Los Angeles. Her past role as a co-chair of the avian and zoological companion animal (ZCA) sections in the American College of Zoological Medicine Examination committee provides Dr. Petritz with experience in standardized testing for veterinary assessments.
In her new role at the ICVA, Dr. Petritz is motivated by a desire to enhance student assessments, further honing her skills in summative assessments, and making meaningful contributions to the veterinary field.
Dr. Stacy Byers – Small Ruminant
Dr. Stacy Byers has been involved with the ADC since last fall, when she filled a vacancy on the committee. What initially piqued her interest in getting involved was her passion for crafting and enhancing exam questions, a skill she employs in her role as a veterinary educator. Moreover, Dr. Byer's love for small ruminants motivated her to participate in the NAVLE and represent these often-underappreciated species.
She embarked on her professional life with a Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering, and spent nearly a decade at The Boeing Company. However, her passion for animals and unwavering determination led her to apply for veterinary school, graduating from Washington State University in 2005. Her educational journey took her through an agriculture animal internship and an internal medicine residency at WSU, further solidifying her expertise.
Dr. Byers is currently on the faculty of St. George’s University, in the Large Animal Medicine and Surgery Department. Here, she imparts her knowledge in livestock medicine, actively participates in numerous labs, and lends her expertise to teaching communications and ethics. As Dr. Byers plans to retire from full-time work next year, she is excited about the opportunities ahead.
Dr. Teresa Y. Morishita – Poultry
First elected six years ago, Dr. Morishita will be going into her third term representing the poultry sector with the ADC this year. She has served as an item writer, contributed to question pools, and engaged in meticulous form reviews. This hands-on involvement has allowed Dr. Morishita to actively contribute to veterinary assessment, particularly in poultry medicine.
With extensive experience as a poultry veterinarian and an Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, she brings a unique perspective on test assessments. Her goal is to enhance the NAVLE by sharing insights gained from the commercial poultry industry and backyard poultry practices.
As a Professor of Poultry Medicine and Food Safety at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Dr. Morishita is devoted to teaching students about poultry medicine. She also serves as the Chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, providing a broader research perspective. Dr. Morishita and her colleagues have been leading the Poultry Health Management School since 2002, enriching the poultry health profession with the latest scientific information.
ADC Members 2023-2024
BOVINE - BEEF – Bradley Heins, DVM, MFAM (Chair)
BOVINE - DAIRY – Gordon Atkins, DVM
CANINE – Cheryl Dhein, DVM, MS, DAVCIM
EQUINE – Jonathan Yardley, DVM
EXOTIC COMPANION ANIMAL – Olivia Petritz, DVM, ACZM
FELINE – Allen Corber, DVM, BSc, DAVP
POULTRY – Teresa Y. Morishita, DVM, MS, MVPM, PHD, ACPV
PUBLIC HEALTH – Alice Chapman, DVM, MPH, DACVPM
SMALL RUMINANT – Stacy Byers, DVM, MS, DACVIM
SWINE – Wesley Lyons, DVM
ZOO & WILDLIFE – Doug Whiteside, DVM, DACZM, DECZM
ICVA BOD COMMITTEE LIAISON – Helen Tuzio, DVM, DABVP, CVA
The terms for ADC members are three years, and members have the ability to serve up to three terms. There will be five terms expiring in 2024, including three with eligibility for additional terms (Bovine-Beef, Equine, and Zoo-Wildlife), and two with no eligible terms remaining (Canine, Feline). A call for nominations will be sent out in February 2024.