The American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) training program accreditation is a voluntary process for veterinary pathology residency training programs worldwide. Accredited programs will meet the program standards set by ACVP. Although accreditation is voluntary, following the 5-year launch period, and/or once all interested programs have had the opportunity to apply for accreditation, all trainees must have either completed an accredited training program or an approved IATP to be eligible for the ACVP certifying examination. 

Training programs seeking accreditation will utilize the current ACVP certifying examination credentialing procedures for their trainees, set by the CEC Credentialing Committee, until such time they are accredited. 

ACVP is the first recognized veterinary specialty organization to build upon the foundation laid by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) Competency-Based Veterinary Education: CBVE 2.0. The AAVMC Council on Outcomes-based Veterinary Education encourages veterinary programs worldwide to recognize the value of the CBVE model in transforming veterinary education.  

Veterinary pathology training program accreditation from ACVP elevates the collective standard of veterinary pathology education, fostering public trust, attracting top talent to the profession, and ensuring graduates are well-equipped to provide exceptional pathology services. This commitment to excellence benefits not only educational institutions but also students, employers, and society as a whole. 

Soft Launch Program Selection – November 30, 2025, Deadline 

ACVP will select five programs to participate in the first cycle of the accreditation process. We invite you to express your program’s interest in becoming part of the inaugural group to seek ACVP accreditation.  

Participation in the soft launch offers two benefits:  

• Recognition as one of the first programs to help define training standards in veterinary pathology.  

• A direct role in shaping the process through structured feedback on the application, submission, and notification steps.  

Programs selected for this soft launch cycle will receive detailed instructions about the application process in January.  

To sign up for consideration in the soft launch, please complete this form no later than November 30, 2025.

Future Accreditation Cycles Sign Up Process 

An accreditation sign-up sheet will be available in the fourth quarter of 2026 for all remaining programs. Training programs will be able to select an application submission timeslot (January 15 or July 15) on a first-come, first-served basis via a sign-up sheet. The ACVP Training Program Accreditation Committee will review 10 programs for each submission cycle (20 total programs per year).  

Reach out to [email protected] with questions and stay tuned for more information! 

The four standards of accreditation are briefly summarized:

Standard 1 – Organization
This standard declares the program discipline (anatomic or clinical) and illustrates the organizational flow chart of faculty and staff involved in training, ensuring the minimum ratio of trainees to supervising diplomates (2:1). Anatomic and clinical pathology training programs within the same institution apply separately for accreditation. Training programs may collaborate with other institutions if needed to meet the ACVP accreditation standards.

Standard 2 – Admissions & Program Duration
This standard establishes that accepted trainees meet ACVP’s Certification and Examination Council (CEC) credentialing requirements, describes the admissions processes, including recruitment procedures, timelines, selection criteria, and related data, and confirms the duration of the program.

Standard 3 – Training Resources
This standard describes the resources for the learning and training environment. These include the necessary physical facilities, caseloads sufficient to achieve stated educational goals, access to information resources, support systems for trainee wellness and wellbeing, and the curriculum. The curriculum is the purview of each program and describes the educational structure (e.g., formal and informal coursework, rounds, journal clubs, and opportunities to teach and share scholarly work).

Standard 4 – Trainee & Program Outcomes Assessments
This standard details the outcomes and achievements of individual trainees and the program as a whole. Trainees will demonstrate and document competence outlined in the Competency-Based Veterinary Education in Pathology framework; the processes and resources to remediate trainees who do not demonstrate competence are described. Programs will demonstrate their effectiveness through various metrics. 

Resources

Competency-Based Veterinary Education in Pathology Framework provides a systemized framework of competencies that ensures all programs meet standards in veterinary pathology training and supports the Certifying Examination process by confirming testable and non-testable skills and attributes are assessed within each accredited training program.

The Resident Competency Rubric exemplar may be used by programs to provide routine feedback and necessary documentation for certifying examination credentialing. Beginning in April 2025, training programs may integrate the competency framework and rubric into their training.

Training Program Accreditation Policies and Procedures Manual outlines ACVP’s official policies and procedures for accrediting veterinary pathology training programs. It defines accreditation standards, application and renewal processes, program and trainee responsibilities, and the role of the Training Program Accreditation Committee (TPAC). This manual includes the assessment rubric utilized by TPAC that outlines specific criteria and expectations for each standard. 

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