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In 1971, the House of Delegates approved a "Procedure for Recognizing Graduates of Colleges of Veterinary Medicine Outside the United States and Canada." That procedure included a provision for the formation of "a special committee to be named the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates, advisory to the Council on Education, which shall be appointed by the AVMA Executive Board to maintain continuing surveillance over procedures for acceptance of graduates of colleges of veterinary medicine outside the United States and Canada." Today, the ECFVG continues to carry out its two-part charge:

1. To evaluate the professional competence of graduates of non-AVMA/Council on Education-accredited colleges of veterinary medicine listed by the AVMA, to the benefit of such graduates and of the state and provincial veterinary licensing agencies, and of other concerned parties; and
2. To allow utilization of ECFVG examinations and other assessment resources to evaluate the professional competence of graduates of AVMA/Council on Education-accredited colleges of veterinary medicine when such utilization is to the benefit of the state and provincial veterinary licensing agencies, and other concerned parties.

Recommendations pertaining to changes in ECFVG policies are forwarded to the AVMA Executive Board for consideration and approval. Decisions related to candidates and internal operational policies such as the Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination (BCSE) procedures, Clinical Proficiency Examination Manual of Administration, petitioning processes, and application and other forms are made by the ECFVG alone and are independent of the AVMA. Further, such decisions are not influenced by the partner organization or its recognized affiliate organizations. Since the inception of the current certification program (January 1, 1973) through December 31, 2006, the ECFVG has awarded more than 3,700 certificates.

The current ECFVG comprises 8 members representing the AVMA Council on Education (COE), Veterinary Members of State Veterinary Licensing Boards, Senior Administrative Executives of State Veterinary Licensing Boards, Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), Government Service, Canadian National Examining Board (NEB), Clinical Practitioners Holding an ECFVG Certificate, and Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE) Site Coordinators. The latter position is non-voting. Appointments for voting members of the ECFVG are made by the AVMA Executive Board from nominations received by the represented or other authorized organization. Voting members serve 6-year terms, although the term of the COE representative terminates concurrently with the end of the representative's term on the Council. The ECFVG continues to report its activities to the COE through the COE representative. The CPE Site Coordinator representative is appointed by the ECFVG and serves as a non-voting liaison for a once renewable three-year term.

The ECFVG office is located in the Education and Research Division at AVMA Headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois. An Assistant Director in the Education and Research Division and the ECFVG Coordinator provide AVMA staff support to the Commission. ECFVG information, including an application form, can be found on the AVMA Web site (home page: www.avma.org) at www.avma.org/education/ecfvg/default.asp.