American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Fast Facts
Lea-Ann Germinder
Established in 1972, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) is the national certifying organization for veterinary specialists in Cardiology, Large Animal Internal Medicine, Neurology,Oncology, and Small Animal Internal Medicine.
The ACVIM is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals and people through education, training and certification of specialists in veterinary internal medicine, discovery and dissemination of new medical knowledge, and increasing public awareness of advances in veterinary medical care.
There are currently over 1,900 members of the ACVIM, who are Board-certified Veterinary Specialists called Diplomates.
In addition to completing undergraduate training and four years of veterinary school, Board-certified Veterinary Specialists are similar to their human medical counterparts in that they have completed an internship and residency in their specialized field (an additional 3-5 years of training). They then must pass two rigorous examinations to achieve Board certification from the ACVIM.
The ACVIM hosts a continuing education meeting (ACVIM Forum) each year where cutting-edge information, technology, and research abstracts are showcased for the veterinary community. For the first time, the 2009 ACVIM Forum has joined forces with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association for a unique educational event to be held in Montréal, Québec, Canada, June 3 ” 6.
In the last 10 years, the membership of the ACVIM has grown by 57 percent.
ACVIM is the largest organization of Board-certified Veterinary Specialists in the United States.
Animal owners are encouraged to work with their family veterinarian for a referral to an ACVIM Board-certified Specialist in their area. Animal owners can also search an online database at www.ACVIM.org.
In 2000, the ACVIM established the ACVIM Foundation, a public charitable foundation incorporated specifically to support scientific and educational endeavors in the field of veterinary internal medicine. The ACVIM Foundation’s mission is to advance animal health through discovery, education, and communication.
