By Heather Case, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
“Find out who you are, and do it on purpose”
— Dolly Parton
What I really appreciate about the quote above (besides the fact that it comes from national treasure Dolly Parton) is that it speaks to multiple meanings of the word “purpose”. First, because by finding out who you are, you are finding your purpose – your reason for being. Second, because by doing things on purpose you are doing them with intent, with a specific goal in mind.
At ICVA, our purpose is right there in our name — as the International Council for Veterinary Assessment, our purpose is to provide world-class examinations and other assessment tools to protect the public, and animal health and welfare. Readers of this newsletter know many of these assessments quite well already, such as the NAVLE and the VEA. However, it’s imperative that we continue to push upward, improving the examinations we have while looking for opportunities to innovate and use our talents where the veterinary community needs us to do so. To that end, we’ve recently added a Chief Innovation Officer to the ICVA, Janine Hawley. Her longtime experience with the NAVLE and her far-ranging expertise in psychometrics make her a valuable addition to our staff.
Spend enough time around any ICVA meeting, and you’ll hear many individuals talk about how they find purpose through their volunteer work with our organization. Recent months have brought several big changes to our volunteer pool. For some of these volunteers, it has meant moving into new roles with the ICVA. You can learn more about our first public member Chair of the ICVA Board of Directors, Ms. Kathy Bowler, as well as our two new Board of Directors members, Drs. Jason Coe and Hilari French and how they give of their time and talent to contribute to the field of veterinary medicine. For other volunteers it has meant stepping back after decades of work on behalf on ICVA (stretching back to our NBVME and even NBEC days). We were fortunate at our June ICVA BOD meeting to be able to celebrate the contributions of two longtime volunteers, Drs. Gary Gackstetter and Rick Tubbs, and show them both how much they are appreciated.
As I mentioned before, purpose also speaks to making efforts with intent — with a specific goal in mind. On that front, the ICVA volunteers and staff are diligently striving on a number of different projects linked to our goal of being the world leader in veterinary assessments. One group of volunteers is surveying the best ways to assess communication skills. ICVA staff members are creating workshops to help veterinary educators assess their students’ knowledge and use the data from assessments to help their students grow. Some ICVA staff are giving NAVLE presentations tailored to the needs of prospective candidates, while others are giving a presentation on the NAVLE to broaden the understanding of the test in the licensing board community. Through all of these endeavors and others that will be coming to fruition in the months and years to come, the ICVA is continually working both WITH purpose and ON purpose to set a higher standard together.
Janine Hawley, Chief Innovation Officer
Readers of the ICVA Veterinary Assessment In Focus newsletter will find Janine Hawley a familiar name and face. Over the past 20+ years of the NAVLE, she has been deeply involved with the testing program in multiple roles through her work with the National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®). Additionally, Janine has played an integral part in such projects as moving the Species Specific exams to a web-based format, rebranding and updating the assessment now known as the VEA, and creating the NAVLE Self-Assessments. After leaving the NBME in 2020, Ms. Hawley was presented with the ICVA Award for her years of dedicated service.
Now, Janine is back in the newly created position of ICVA Chief Innovation Officer. In this role, she will help develop new assessments and item formats, streamline existing processes and introduce operational efficiencies, develop new innovative assessments, and help introduce new technology to testing.
We sat down with Janine Hawley to discuss her career path and get her perspective on her new role with ICVA.
How did you get into the world of assessment?
I got into assessment in an indirect way. My statistics courses were my favorite courses in college and graduate school. I started my career as a research coordinator before I found a position at NBME as a psychometric technician. I got the job and immediately fell in love with psychometrics and assessment.
What do you like about it?
I love that the broader roles that I have had in assessment provide me with opportunities to not only work in an assessment context but also allow me to engage in business development and process improvement.
What brought you back to the ICVA?
First and foremost, the people. I have worked with some ICVA team members and volunteers for over 20 years. Everyone is passionate about the work and the profession, which is rare.
How do you explain your new role?
I will be working with the ICVA team and volunteers to grow and revolutionize our assessment capabilities. In addition, I have a passion for operations and process improvement. I hope to work with the team to identify areas where we can streamline existing processes, introducing efficiencies that will both minimize risks to the organization and reduce operational costs.
What are some of your immediate goals?
My most immediate goal is to work to develop a blueprint for our new progress test. I also hope to work with the ICVA team to help to enhance the customer experience. We hope to provide tools and technology to make the experience for applicants and other users more user-friendly with enhancements such as online ordering for schools for the NAVLE Self-Assessment and applicant dashboards for NAVLE where individual applicants can track their application status.
What are some of the biggest trends you see happening with assessments over the next few years?
I think we are going to continue to see a movement toward remote administrations and the growing use of simulation and virtual reality in assessment. I also think that topics such as DEI-P in assessment and accessibility will continue to be hot topics that will require further investigation and may result in modifications to existing assessment formats or delivery methods.
What are you most excited about with your new role?
Working with ICVA. I worked with ICVA for over 20 years. I have watched the organization grow over the past decade or so, and I am very excited to be part of this team as we move assessment into the future.
Janine lives in Greensboro, North Carolina but has spent most of her life in Philadelphia, PA. She has a twelve-year-old dog named Bella and has many passions, including hiking, cooking, gardening, and traveling.
Kathy Bowler, ICVA Board Chair
Kathy Bowler is the 2022-2023 ICVA Board Chair, assuming the role as of the conclusion of the June 2022 Board Meeting. Ms. Bowler brings her extensive experience from serving as the first public member to be President of the California Veterinary Medical Board to her chair position with ICVA, where she is the first public member to hold the position. Since 2015, she has been involved with ICVA and is designated to the board by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). As Chair-Elect, she represented ICVA at the 2021 AAVSB Annual Meeting, providing the update on ICVA activities on behalf of 2021-2022 Board Chair Karen Robertson.
Although she is not a veterinarian, Kathy brings a deep-rooted love for animals and a commitment to fair and just standards to her position at ICVA. She is currently in her ninth year on the California Veterinary Medical Board, having served two years as Vice President and now serving as President.
What makes Ms. Bowler’s experience unique is her dedication to protecting consumers while best serving professionals in the veterinary field. California has the largest number of licensed veterinarians and knows first-hand that the state and provincial licensing boards rely on the NAVLE®, making the work of ICVA critical.
“We can't ever lose sight that the NAVLE is a critical tool for Licensing Boards, and the more we can improve it with new technologies in assessment is one of our main missions —and what we're doing.”
While Kathy loves learning and particularly enjoys participating in NAVLE and VEA® Pool and Form Reviews, she's especially excited about ICVA’s Communication Skills Assessment Task Force because improving how communications skills are tested will benefit everyone. As the Chair, she also looks forward to developing the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Privilege initiatives through the newly created task force.
“I am a huge advocate for consumers, solid statistics, and the robustness of ICVA assessments, and the staff and expert volunteers at ICVA make all that possible. I love the science, the profession, and consumers—the animal ones in particular! And it’s an honor to work with these professionals.”
A vegetarian since age twelve, Ms. Bowler's current household consists of one husband, four cats, four large dogs, three parrots, ponds with dozens of huge Koi fish—and even rescues ducks and turtles! ICVA is pleased to have Kathy Bowler serve as the Board Chair, and we look forward to the work she will do with her dedication to animals and serving the public.
Dr. Gackstetter receiving his award from outgoing Board Chair Dr. Robertson
ICVA Award recipient Gary Gackstetter has been involved with the NAVLE since he began as an item writer and committee member in 1998.
Over his 20+ years volunteering with the organization, Dr. Gackstetter has held many roles with the NBEC (National Board Examining Committee), NBVME (National Board of Veterinary Medical Examinerss), and now ICVA—including acting as an item writer, serving on the Examination Development Advisory Board (now the Assessment Development Committee), being a member of the Board of Directors (including a stint as Board Chair), working on the Collaboration Strategic Planning Group, and playing a large role in the most recent NAVLE Practice Analysis process.
“Dr. Gackstetter was critical in helping shape the NAVLE through his highly successful work on our practice analysis surveys of veterinarians in the U.S. and Canada.” - Kathy Bowler, ICVA Board Chair 2022-2023
A South Dakota native, Dr. Gackstetter received his DVM from Iowa State University in 1979. His career has ranged from the United States Air Force, to the Department of Defense, with a stint teaching at the Uniformed Services University of Health Services and spearheading the creation of the DVM program at South Dakota State University (his undergraduate alma mater). Dr. Gackstetter says he is “Officially and Formally Retired” as of January 1, 2022.
Dr. Tubbs receiving his award from outgoing Board Chair Dr. Robertson
Dr. Rick Tubbs has been a decades-long volunteer at ICVA, and his stalwart dedication makes him the perfect recipient of a special ICVA volunteer award. Dr. Tubbs’ involvement with the ICVA includes serving on the Board of Directors for three terms (2004-2013), being on the Assessment Development Committee for ten years (2013-2022), acting as a NAVLE Item Writer in the Swine category (2017-2019), and serving on both the Collaboration for Veterinary Assessment Governance Committee (2015-2020) and the Talent Management Committee (2019-2022). All of these committee appointments were in addition to participating in numerous NAVLE Pool and Form Review meetings since the early 2000s.
“Rick Tubbs is the epitome of volunteering – stepping up whenever needed and giving of his time, his talents, and his knowledge in order to make this world a better place. It has been my privilege to get to know him and work with him throughout my time here at ICVA.” - Heather Case, ICVA CEO
Dr. Tubbs, an Alabama native, received his DVM from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University in 1983. After a career spanning private practice, academia, and industry work, he is currently working on a part-time basis at a local animal hospital and conducting farm site audits for food animal producers.
The ICVA Board of Directors welcomes two new members: Drs. Hilari French and Jason Coe. Learn more about their experiences in the field and how it contributes to their vision for ICVA.
Dr. Hilari French is a third-generation veterinarian, following in her father and grandfather's footsteps. She has worked at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine for nine years, where her position allows her to impact the development of students in theriogenology and large-animal medicine to provide a framework for day-one competent students. Now through ICVA, she can expand her reach to all licensed veterinarians.
"I am positioned well to have a pulse on a large number of students who are striving to enter the workforce. Our need for clinical affiliates and close working relationships allows me to have a deeper understanding of graduating student concerns internationally."
Dr. French became involved with ICVA in 2017, joining the Assessment Development Committee. She later served as chair of the committee, where she was able to attend NAVLE® Form reviews, VEA reviews, and NAVLE Item Writing workshops.
She hopes to partner with the other board members to continue to meet the challenges of the expanding veterinary profession. Dr. French's vision is that ICVA continues to focus on creating a balanced assessment and standard that veterinary schools can use as an external milestone and practitioners can use to assess the foundation of knowledge within their new graduate hires. Additionally, she seeks to support the organization's global expansion.
"As our educational platforms expand, our assessments must also meet new requirements and expectations. The veterinary field is also evolving, and I want to be a part of the growth by extending my enthusiasm to such an important milestone for veterinarians."
Dr. French is excited to provide her unique perspective to the board and join like-minded colleagues focused on delivering a quality standard for veterinary practitioners.
Growing up, Dr. Coe had an interest in becoming a veterinarian or a teacher—and in the end, he was able to become both. For almost 20 years, the primary focus of Dr. Coe's veterinary career has been to improve the interactions between the people involved with veterinary medicine. As a result of this experience, he hopes to support the ICVA board as the profession evolves and expands attention on the social side of veterinary practice.
"The world is changing ever faster, and in response is the need for the veterinary profession to adapt at a similar pace."
He initially became involved with the ICVA as a writer of clinical communication items for the NAVLE, which led to other opportunities such as item-review meetings, standard setting exercises, and form review meetings. Dr. Coe knew that when ICVA began to include communication-focused questions on the NAVLE, his background and experience as a veterinarian had the potential to help the organization.
To Dr. Coe, being a member of the ICVA Board of Directors means responsibility for protecting the public, producing valid assessments for candidates, and being accountable to the veterinary profession. He looks forward to being involved with the Board of Directors as ICVA navigates how to adapt and change in response to an evolving discipline, including consideration of new areas relevant to veterinary practice and how the organization's leadership can innovate in adapting to these changes.
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ICVA is thankful to have received a number of outstanding nominations this year, and we look forward to the vast knowledge our new board members will bring to their time on the Board of Directors.
NAVLE®
A total of 1,680 candidates took the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) during the expanded March-April 2022 testing window, an increase of 220 examinations from the expanded March-May 2021 testing window. Candidates who tested during this window received on-line access to their score report (as did their licensing board) on May 23.
Applications for the November-December 2022 NAVLE testing window were received from June 1 - August 1. The ICVA office has received and processed a total of 6,001 approved candidates for the expanded November 1 - December 16, 2022 NAVLE testing window. This is an increase of 629 from the expanded November 1 - December 31, 2021 testing window. Of these candidates, 4,712 were processed and approved on behalf of the 36 licensing boards that have the ICVA as their designated NAVLE processor. In order to ease scheduling, candidates have received access to their scheduling and admission e-permits online throughout the summer, allowing them to make their testing appointments with Prometric. Scores will be released on a single date in mid-January to candidates and their licensing boards.
VETERINARY EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT (VEA®)
The VEA is a 240-item, web-based basic science examination made available to veterinary schools as a comprehensive assessment of basic science knowledge, and to provide students with experience taking a standardized multiple-choice examination.
During the recent August 29 - September 9, 2022 testing window, the VEA was administered with a mix of remote and on-site proctoring to 955 students from Ross University, St. Matthew’s University, the University of Tennessee, Texas A&M University, North Carolina State University, the University of Missouri, Midwestern University, Auburn University, and (with their first administration) Long Island University. Scores will be reported in early October.
The next VEA administration will take place during January 9-20, 2023, the second testing window of the 2022-2023 testing cycle. Schools interested in using the VEA or arranging for a faculty review of the assessment should contact the ICVA office.
SPECIES SPECIFIC EXAMINATIONS
ICVA offers Species Specific Examinations to evaluate a veterinarian’s knowledge in companion animal or equine medicine. These examinations are offered to veterinary licensing boards for use in disciplinary cases, competency verification for veterinarians licensed in another jurisdiction, and other purposes deemed necessary by the licensing board.
There are two 100-item forms for each examination, available in a web-based format. ICVA most recently updated the Species Specific examinations through a standard setting process in 2019, and implemented options in 2020 to allow remote proctoring for easier administration.
Licensing boards interested in reviewing or administering the Species Specific Examinations should contact ICVA.
WISCONSIN LAWS AND RULES EXAMINATION
The Wisconsin Veterinary Examination Board (VEB) requested ICVA handle the administration of their web-based Wisconsin Rules and Laws Examination for veterinary licensure. The Wisconsin VEB provides ICVA with a list of eligible candidates, and ICVA then coordinates payment, test administration, and score reporting to both the licensing board and to the examinee. Test administrations began in October 2016. For more information on test administration services, please contact ICVA.
The Life of an Item is a presentation created for veterinary school students to explain all aspects of the NAVLE®. It provides an overview of the International Council for Veterinary Assessment, the creation of NAVLE items and test administration.
Since the beginning of the year, Dr. Elizabeth Johnson Million provided The Life of an Item presentation as an in-person discussion at Lincoln Memorial University and the University of Tennessee, as an online webinar to Long Island University, the University of Minnesota, Ross University, the Université of Montréal, the University of California at Davis, the University of Prince Edward Island, the University of Arizona, Mississippi State University, and the University of Melbourne. She also provided the presentation as an open on-line webinar on four dates in April, with over 400 total participants from 17 different countries.
In-person/on-campus presentations are slated for Tuskegee University in September, and for Lincoln Memorial University and Texas Tech University in October. An online webinar is also planned for Ross University in September.
ICVA provides this presentation at no cost to veterinary schools or licensing boards. Schools or boards interested in The Life of an Item presentation should contact Dr. Million.
ICVA staff members Drs. Heather Case, Kent Hecker, Elizabeth Johnson Million, Courtney Vengrin, and Ms. Janine Hawley were invited to give the “NAVLE Deep Dive” presentation at the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 15, 2022. The presentation gave an overview of the NAVLE along with a detailed look at item development, score reporting, standard setting, and the continuous cycle of review that all NAVLE items undergo. Attendees also had the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters.
The last of three NAVLE standard-setting meetings is slated to be held on September 28-29. As with the July 12-13 and August 2-3 meetings, the September meeting will be held in a virtual format and will include approximately seven to nine subject matter experts participating with assistance from ICVA and NBME staff. With the NAVLE, a standard setting exercise is recommended on a periodic basis to make sure the current passing rates still represent the standard of minimal competency necessary for safe and effective practice. An ongoing evaluation that the current standard is valid and appropriate to use for making pass/fail decisions is a critical part of building and maintaining a successful testing program.
Dr. Elizabeth Johnson Million, Assistant Director of Outreach and Engagement, is continuing to develop new videos for the ICVA YouTube Channel. Previous videos covered the NAVLE application process, steps to take after failing the NAVLE, and a two-part series providing information on NAVLE Preparation Resources (which has received over 7,000 views to date). The channel currently has over 790 subscribers. For more information, please visit our YouTube Channel.
The ICVA Assessment Development Workshops are interactive workshops created and customized for veterinary school faculty to assist with expanding their methods for assessing veterinary student performance and determining best practices specific to their institution's students, faculty, and administration. Beginning in February 2021, the first series of workshops was held with the University of Padua (Italy), with recent workshops conducted for the University of Pennsylvania, Texas Tech University, the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (Virginia Tech), Purdue University, the University of Glasgow, the University of Prince Edward Island, and St. Matthew’s University. Currently, Drs. Kent Hecker, Elizabeth Johnson Million, and Courtney Vengrin provide The ICVA Assessment Development Workshops as on-line interactive sessions to faculty and school administration, and are now scheduling dates for the end of 2022 and first half of 2023.
Faculty or administrators interested in The ICVA Assessment Workshops should contact Dr. Vengrin.
The ICVA has developed the first in a series of VEA Faculty Workshops to assist schools using the Veterinary Educational Assessment (VEA) to measure student knowledge in the veterinary basic sciences. The interactive workshops are created to enhance the utilization of the data provided by the VEA score reports, so that faculty and staff can better use the information to guide curriculum discussions as well as support individual student learning. The workshops underwent pilot testing in the spring of 2022 and ICVA thanks the University of Tennessee, Auburn University, and Texas A&M University for their participation in the pilot program. Further details and scheduling options for the workshops will be sent to participating VEA schools in September.
Dr. Courtney Vengrin presenting at the VEC Conference
Dr. Courtney Vengrin presented ‘Creating Great Rubrics for a Variety of Assessment Uses’ at the Veterinary Educator Collaborative (VEC) Conference on June 30 at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS. This workshop discussed how a well-designed rubric can assist educators in creating more equitable assessments and providing a wealth of data for further analysis and discovery. In this session participants identified the components of a rubric, reviewed development of rubrics, discussed uses of rubrics in the veterinary medical education setting, and explored the data generated by rubrics that could be utilized for future educational research.
Dr. Elizabeth Farrington was elected at the recent AAVSB Annual Meeting as a new representative to the ICVA Board of Directors. She replaces Dr. Bruce Louderback, who was an AAVSB representative on the ICVA Board since 2013. A graduate of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Farrington currently serves as the Chair of the Nebraska Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Board. An interview with Dr. Farrington will be in the December edition of our newsletter.
ICVA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Privilege (DEI-P) Task Force has recently sent out a request for proposals to consultants and organizations specializing in DEI-P work. The Task Force hopes to identify a consultant that will assist in further developing the Task Force structure, providing an organizational assessment, facilitation, and training, as well as assistance with integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the work of the Board and organization as a whole.
Drs. Heather Case and Dr. Elizabeth Johnson Million, ICVA staff members, attended the 2022 American Veterinary Medical Association convention in Philadelphia, PA from July 29 through August 2. Dr. Keith Paulsen, member of the ICVA Board of Directors, also attended the convention in his role as a Wisconsin Delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates. The meeting was a great opportunity to learn about challenges and opportunities within the veterinary community, and to network with a variety of attendees from across veterinary medicine.
The Communication Skills Assessment Task Force continues its work performing a systematic review to gather evidence regarding communication skills assessment methods that could be used in different testing environments. To date, they have reviewed over 13,000 titles and abstracts and are currently finalizing the list of documents to be included in detailed analyses. Members of the task force are actively engaged in this process and are looking forward to providing recommendations regarding communications assessment methods to the ICVA Board of Directors.
Dr. Kristin Cheney
Kristin P. Chaney, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM (LAIM), Diplomate ACVECC, and current Assistant Dean for Curriculum and Assessment at Texas A&M University, has been named Chair of the ICVA Academic Veterinary Assessment Committee.
Dr. Chaney graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received her DVM degree from Colorado State University. As an equine veterinarian, she holds credentials as a diplomate in both the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American College of Emergency & Critical Care. She joined the faculty of Texas A&M University in 2014 and has received numerous teaching awards at the college and university level since her appointment. Her work in curriculum development is recognized nationally and internationally and she continues her research in veterinary education and novel educational modalities. In addition to being a member of the ICVA’s Academic Veterinary Assessment Committee, Dr. Chaney is the co-chair of the AAVMC’s Council for Outcomes-based Veterinary Education.
Dr. Chaney replaces Dr. Jack Wilson as chair of the committee, after his recent retirement.
ICVA Chief Assessment Officer Dr. Kent Hecker recently attended two assessment conferences simultaneously, as the presenting organizations combined forces to hold events at the same location.
The 2022 Ottawa and AMEE conferences (held in Lyon, France from August 27-31) are international conferences focused on assessment and educational research across the health professions. The Ottawa conference occurs every two years with a primary focus on assessment of competence and learning. This year, the focus is on assessment across the continuum with internationally-recognized speakers presenting current research on licensure examinations, assessment of competence in virtual and hybrid settings and advances in psychometrics. The AMEE conference is held every year with a focus on presenting current research practices in the health education professions. Topics range from assessing learning and teaching practices to implementation practices of competency-based health professions education.
ICVA Chief Innovation Officer Janine Hawley and Chief Assessment Officer Dr. Kent Hecker will be attending the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) annual conference in Savannah, GA from October 17-20. This event provides workshops and meetings covering trends and best practices in the credentialing community, and provides a valuable opportunity for ICVA staff to network with others who work in various aspects of the credentialing field.
ICVA Assistant Director of Outreach and Engagement Dr. Elizabeth Johnson Million will be attending the 2022 AVMA Veterinary Business and Education Forum, a virtual event being held October 24-25. The meeting will include a number of presentations providing perspectives on the current challenges and opportunities in veterinary medicine, and brings together veterinarians and leaders from across the veterinary field.
Dr. Heather Case co-presented “Test Accommodations & Accessibility” at the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Conference September 21-23, in Rosemont, IL. Along with Dr. John Hosterman from Paradigm Testing, and Don Balasa from the American Association of Medical Assistants, Dr. Case discussed accommodation requests from a licensure examination prospective and best practices for organizations reviewing and implementing accommodations for licensing and credentialing tests.
Dr. Heather Case will be co-presenting on the latest trends in testing accommodations with Dr. John Hosterman from Paradigm Testing and Dr. Isabelle Gonthier from PSI Services at the upcoming Canadian Network of Agencies for Regulation (CNAR) meeting, to be held in Charlottetown, PEI October 25-26, 2022.
2022 Assessment Grant announcements and forms were made available on May 16, with a June 24, 2022 deadline for Letters of Intent. All interested applicants were encouraged to review the grant requirements and deadlines, found here on the ICVA website. After the deadline, the Academic Veterinary Assessment Committee reviewed five Letters of Intent, and sent two invitations to submit a full proposal by October 15. Grant recipients will be announced by the end of the year
For questions regarding the grant process, please contact Dr. Kent Hecker.
Chief Innovation Officer Janine Hawley recently began a three-year term on the AVMA’s American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS), serving as the psychometric and credentialing/certification subject matter expert. The mission of the ABVS is to recognize and encourage the development of veterinary specialty organizations that certify advance levels of competency within well-defined disciplines of veterinary medicine to provide the public with exceptional veterinary care for animals. The ABVS has 12 members, ten of whom are a mix of veterinary specialists and non-boarded veterinarians, as well as a public member and the psychometric and credentialing/certification subject matter expert.
Dr. Bob Cherenson (left) is presented with a plaque commemorating his service on the Board by outgoing ICVA Chair Dr. Karen Robertson. Dr. Karen Robertson (right) is presented with a plaque commemorating her service on the Board by ICVA CEO Dr. Heather Case and incoming ICVA Chair Ms. Kathy Bowler.
The ICVA Board of Directors (BOD) held their meeting at Mackinac Island, MI on June 23-25, 2022, in a hybrid format. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Karen Robertson, an At-Large member of the board.
Board members heard updates from the Academic Veterinary Assessment Committee on their new committee members, an upcoming review of the grant program process, and plans to provide feedback on items such as the NAVLE school testing cycle statistical reports. The BOD also received a report from the Communications Skills Assessment Task Force which included Dr. Linda Dorrestein (PhD candidate at the University of Calgary and faculty member at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University) discussing her systematic review work with the group, as well as a report on recent activities. The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Privilege Task Force Chair provided an initial update on the important work of this new group, and the BOD approved a motion to create an ICVA Practitioner and Regulatory Engagement Working Group (contingent upon developing a Working Group Charter and desired deliverables).
Additionally, the ICVA Board received reports on the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE®), the NAVLE® Self-Assessments, the Veterinary Educational Assessment (VEA®), and the Species Specific Examinations. There was also a review of priorities set by the most recent strategic planning process, including an update on the groundwork being done for a proposed veterinary educational progress test. Information on blueprint development should be ready to share at the January BOD meeting.
Dr. Mark Logan, representing the AAVSB, provided information on the organization’s recent activities. Dr. Fern Tablin reported on the AVMA’s Council on Education, Dr. Joseph Taboada presented an update on the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, and Dr. Annabelle Denson discussed current work at the Canadian National Examining Board.
Ms. Patricia Muenzen (ACT) presented an update on the North American Competencies Profile for Veterinary Assessment, including its sponsorship, the purpose of the project and its intent, stakeholder engagement, steps in development and validation of the profile and its general structure. Afterwards, as a partner and sponsor of the project, the Board voted to formally endorse the North American Competencies Profile for Veterinary Assessment.
The Board approved nominated candidates for new roles within the ICVA. Dr. Fernando Marqués was elected to be the ICVA Chair-Elect. Dr. Maureen Wichtel was elected as ICVA Past-Chair to fill the position opened by the end of Dr. Robertson’s tenure on the board. Dr. Helen Tuzio was elected to the role of ICVA Secretary-Treasurer. They join Ms. Kathy Bowler on the Executive Committee, as she moves from her role as Chair-Elect to Chair of the ICVA BOD. Drs. Jason Coe and Hilari French were elected to the Board and Dr. Wesley Lyons (Swine) was appointed to the Assessment Development Committee.
The meeting included recognition of outgoing ICVA board members Drs. Karen Robertson, Bruce Louderback, and Robert Cherenson, and presentation of ICVA Awards to Drs. Gary Gackstetter and Rick Tubbs
The next ICVA Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for January 20-21, 2023 in Savannah, GA. Persons interested in attending the meeting should contact ICVA for additional information.
Upcoming Meetings
September 21-23, 2022 – American Board of Medical Specialties Conference, Chicago, IL
September 28-29, 2022 – ICVA Standard Setting Meeting, Virtual
October 24-26, 2022 – Canadian Network of Agencies of Regulation Annual Conference, Charlottetown, PEI
November 9-10, 2022 – ICVA Item Review, Philadelphia, PA