Hot off the presses! The American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) has approved Shelter Medicine Practice for full specialty recognition. This is great news for veterinarians hoping to demonstrate their in-depth knowledge and experience in shelter medicine, and for the reputation of the field of shelter medicine within veterinary medicine at large.
Shelter Medicine Practice had been a provisionally approved specialty under the ABVP umbrella since 2014, but the vote of ABVS in early March gives the specialty full recognition and more agency over the requirements for certification and examination. Shelter Medicine Practice is also now an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty™. Shelter Medicine Practice diplomates through ABVP are skilled in the art and science of shelter medicine and surgery, as well as preventative and wellness care, behavior, and population medicine, and public health.
Certification in shelter medicine can take two paths: one is by qualifying through the 5-year practitioner pathway, and the other is qualifying through a 3-year residency pathway. There are several residency programs, with descriptions available here, and mentorship support is also available for interested practitioners, including programs like this. The certification process is challenging but rewarding: veterinarians must be able to demonstrate a breadth of high-quality practice experiences within shelter medicine, presentation and consulting abilities, and must prepare several written case reports and/or publications. To pass the comprehensive examination, candidates memorize textbooks and journal articles, take stats courses, and access practice tests. The ABVP helps coordinate online study groups to help with credentialing and examination preparation, and the shelter medicine regent-elect, who is the former Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program (MSMP) Director, Dr. Elizabeth Berliner, is available to answer questions and provide assistance!
At the moment, there are 35 veterinarians who have qualified as Diplomates of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Shelter Medicine Practice, including MSMP’s interim director, Dr. Lena DeTar.
To see how far shelter medicine has come, check out this timeline on the Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ webpage.
