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Annual Report Form
- RVSO (.rtf)

Annual Report Form
- RVS (.rtf)

Veterinary Specialty Organizations

Veterinary Specialists Market Statistics

= AVMA/SAVMA  Members Only

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1. Definition of a recognized veterinary specialty (RVS)
   
   A clearly defined field of veterinary medicine comprising a species, discipline, or system, whose members acquire knowledge and skills through formal training. These focused areas of practice are under the umbrella of an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organization.
   
   
2. Procedures for obtaining AVMA recognition of a veterinary specialty
   
   
   1. Veterinarians planning to form a veterinary specialty under an existing recognized veterinary specialty organization (RVSO) should submit a letter of intent to the AVMA at the earliest possible time. The representative of the parent RVSO will liaise with the specialty group and submit a written report to the CDNS two weeks prior to the annual meeting of the CDNS to document progress of the specialty group's petition for recognition.
      
      
   2. A veterinary specialty seeking recognition as a RVS under the auspices of an existing RVSO may:
      
      
      1. Be recognized by the AVMA Executive Board under the procedures described in section II, part C of the Policies of the ABVS with the following exceptions to those procedures:
         
         
         1. A RVS need not be incorporated separately.
            
            
         2. A RVS is represented on the ABVS by the representative of the parent RVSO.
            
            
         3. A RVSO with one or more RVSs may have
            1. One constitution delineating the operations of the RVSO and separate bylaws delineating the functions and operations of each RVS, or
            2. A single constitution and bylaws clearly delineating the operations of the RVSO and the functions and operations of each RVS, or
            3. A single bylaws clearly delineating the operations of the RVSO and the functions and operations of each RVS.
         
         
      2. Admit charter diplomates provided they are members of the veterinary specialty organizing committee, which is limited in number to those essential to conduct the business of the veterinary specialty and to achieve provisional approval. Each charter member must:
         
         
         1. Be a diplomate of the parent RVSO, or
            
            
         2. Be a diplomate of another RVSO recognized by the AVMA, or
            
            
         3. Have demonstrated competency through teaching, research, or practice of the veterinary specialty and meet the criteria for members of an organizing committee as specified in section II, part D1 of the Policies of the ABVS.
      
      
   3. A petition for provisional recognition of the veterinary specialty must be submitted to the AVMA by November 1 for consideration during the next meeting of the CDNS. The petition must include a statement of approval from the proposed parent RVSO and contain the same elements as a petition for full recognition (see section II, parts B and D of the Policies of the ABVS). Petitions for immediate full recognition may be submitted by veterinary specialties arising from a restructuring of a parent RVSO following the procedure described in section III, part B6.
      
      
   4. After provisional recognition has been granted by the Executive Board, the new RVS takes any necessary steps to complete formalization of its structure and proceeds to function under its constitution and/or bylaws. The organization may examine and certify candidates, collect dues, and conduct other business as specified in its constitution and/or bylaws. After a veterinary specialty is recognized, its reports (interim and annual) are included in the reports of its parent RVSO. Recognized veterinary specialties report directly to the ABVS only by special request.
      
      
   5. After a minimum of four years but not more than ten years under provisional recognition, a veterinary specialty may submit a request for full recognition to the ABVS through its parent RVSO. The ABVS may grant an extension of the 10-year time limit, if an extension is requested in writing. A request for full recognition of a veterinary specialty will undergo the same in-depth review process required of a RVSO (see section V, part B of the Policies of the ABVS) and this review should indicate that the veterinary specialty is fully functional and fulfilling its stated objectives. An interim report (see section V, part C of the Policies of the ABVS) is required in addition to the in-depth report.
      
      
   6. A petition for immediate full recognition may be submitted by a veterinary specialty arising from a restructuring of a parent RVSO. The petition for full recognition will undergo the same review process required for an RVSO. Results of this review should indicate that the veterinary specialty is immediately able to become fully functional and can fulfill its stated objectives. Procedures for recognition will be followed as previously described in section III, parts B1 through B3. Section II, parts B1 through B15, C10 through C13, and D5 through D9 will also apply. The petition must:
      
      
      1. Be prepared and organized as an in-depth report (see Appendix C (PDF)).
         
         
      2. Provide a statement outlining the reasons for, and benefit(s) of restructuring the RVSO into the described veterinary specialties.
         
         
      3. Describe the process by which existing RVSO diplomats may be reclassified into the respective veterinary specialties.
         
         
      4. Include an organizational chart showing the present and proposed relationships of the veterinary specialties within the RVSO.
      
      
   7. The AVMA Executive Board makes the final decision to grant or not grant recognition to a veterinary specialty. Decisions of the Executive Board are reported annually to the AVMA House of Delegates.

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