NBVME moves to expand outreach, testing services

BISMARCK, N.D. — Outreach to veterinary groups and expansion of its testing services top the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners' (NBVME) agenda for 2007 and beyond.

NBVME approved an amended mission statement and updated strategic goals at its July meeting, says John Boyce, DVM and executive director.

Since January, NBVME has worked with an outside facilitator to develop ways to improve board visibility and partnerships with veterinary organizations while simultaneously meeting the needs of the industry. Providing examinations to "governmental licensing agencies and other entities so that they can assure the protection of public and animal health and welfare by assessing professional competency" is the nonprofit board's new mission statement. The previous version only addressed the protection of public health and welfare.

"If you read it carefully, it opens the door a little wider to this idea of examinations for other groups, including licensing boards and veterinary schools. We need to make sure examinations are meeting the needs of licensing boards and other entities that use them," Boyce says.

NBVME offers two disciplinary exams to licensing boards, for companion-animal and equine medicine. They are typically administered to assess the knowledge and ethical practices of licensees who are the subject of a complaint. A few boards use the exams for graduate veterinarians seeking licensure in a specific state. Changes to the mission statement spurred talks on developing exams for other areas of veterinary medicine, Boyce says.

Veterinary medical programs at Western University and Iowa State University have used NBVME's basic science Qualifying Examination as a standardized assessment of basic knowledge. Other schools are interested in using the exam and developing others, Boyce says.

The board's strategic goals — continuous improvement, organizational effectiveness and financial stability — also were expanded to include outreach as a focus during the next three years.

"The main thing we have to do is try to have board members visit or otherwise have some sort of personal interaction with constituents, including organizations, like the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) and the American Veterinary Medical Association, and individual licensing boards," Boyce says.

"The idea is to make sure these constituents know what NBVME is and what we do, and put a face with a name. It would be a two-way thing, presenting information to them and receiving comments and suggestions as to how we might be better able to help them improve examinations."

In addition to adopting the strategic plan changes, Meg Glattly, DVM and small-animal practitioner in Minnesota, was named the board's new chair at the July meeting. NBVME's 13 directors are appointed from nine veterinary organizations, including AAVSB, AVMA, American Animal Hospital Association, Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and the National Association of Federal Veterinarians, among others.