Re-Certification
As is stated in the Policies section II, part A.14 of the EBVS, a standard procedure has to be established in which the prerequisites for re-certification of the Diplomates for membership of the College are described. This re-certification has to be done under the responsibility of the College.
This standard procedure will be performed according to a credit point system (see Credit point system). A total minimum of 100 points has to be collected during a 5 year period. Each College has its own responsibility in creating such a 100 credit point system, but it has to be sent to and approved by the EBVS.
The Diplomate is required to send in each 5 years a summary of their professional activities. The format of this summary has to be approved of by the EBVS. The summaries will be evaluated by the Re-Certification Committee. In addition, Diplomates should ask two senior colleagues or authorities to send to the College a letter of reference certifying that the Diplomate in question has been active in practising their speciality for the last 5 years at the specialist level (see EBVS Policies & Procedures Appendix 8) or add a self-declaration. The type of the reference letter shall be according to the EBVS Policies and Procedures. Self-certification of the members of the committee responsible for re-certification must be avoided.
Credit Point System
In this credit point system the following items are included:
- Publications
- Presentations at national congresses or Continuing Education
- Presentations at international congresses
- Attendance at national or international congresses
- Online/distance learning
- Preparing examination questions
- Supervision of Residents
- Membership of Board or College committees
- Two letters of reference or a self-declaration letter. For the reference letters, the following criteria must be met:
- One referee should be an EBVS - recognised Diplomate from the same country and of the same speciality.
- If there are no professionally qualified persons in the applicant's country or speciality, specialists in other disciplines or a senior colleague (e.g. Head of Department, Dean) may act as a referee. Only one academic colleague at the same institute may provide a reference.
- A referee must normally have known the applicant for the five-year period prior to application/reapplication that the applicant is offering as experience in their speciality.
- A professional and not a personal reference is required.
- It is not allowed that the referee is a relative or partner (business or social) of the applicant.