Q: Does the 20-page limit include references and the title page?

A:The 20-page double spaces word limit does not include the title page, references or the appendices.

Q: The case I’m thinking of using had many diagnostics declined by the owner or they did most of the follow up with their family vet.  Is this a good case to choose?

A: We recognize that not all diagnostics can be performed and owners may impose limitations on follow up.  We would recommend avoiding choosing a case where the owner has placed significant limitations on the diagnostics and follow up.  If there are minor limitations, then the case may still be appropriate as long as the resident can acknowledge those limitations and discuss their impact on the case management.  Significant limitations can be a fatal flaw in a case report leading to failure to pass.

Q: I saw a really cool case of something that has never seen before should I use this as my case report?

A: For your case report it is not necessary to pick a case of something really unusual that you might submit for publication as a case report.  We are looking for cases that present a diagnostic or therapeutic challenge where the resident was the primary clinician from start to finish.  Allergic cases or common conditions that were more challenging to diagnose or manage are great choices.  There is no set amount of follow up that is required but it is important to have managed the case to some sort of conclusion to show the resident’s dermatological skills.  If the resident did not make the original diagnosis, then it would not be an appropriate case as that would be considered a fatal flaw.

Q: I’m running out of space!  Do you really want to know how I took my biopsies or cytology or the dosing of all medications at each visit? Can I use shorthand?

A: It is very important to include the mg/kg dosing in every visit.  This helps the reviewers keep track of what medications a patient is receiving, especially if they have been tapered.  We do want a brief description of how you’ve taken your biopsies or cytology samples, but it is ok to put this information in the appendix.  Please write in full sentences and avoid using an excessive number of acronyms.  Too many acronyms can make it very difficult to follow.

Q: Do I need to include all abnormalities in my problem list (bloodwork, non-dermatological issues) or just the derm problems?  If a problem resolves, do I need to keep listing it?  If new problems develop how do I include them?

A: Being able to develop a proper problem list is one of the most important parts of your case report.  You should include all problems, not just the dermatological problems in the problem list.  Please keep the numbering consistent throughout the report.  When a problem resolves you can inactivate it from the problem list and report it as “resolved” to keep the numerical order unchanged.  When a new problem develops you should add it to the list.  Give it a new sequential number, don’t reuse a number from an inactivated problem.  For each problem, you should list 5-6 of the most likely differentials.  Please be specific (i.e. fungal disease is not sufficient, you should specify the fungal organism you are considering).

Q: I’d like to include as much information as possible in the discussion.  How much information do you want?  I could write pages of information about the topic.

A: The main focus of the discussion and conclusion should be the elements of the case that made it an appropriate choice for a case report.  What parts of the case were challenging?  What were the key learning points that you took away from the case?  If there were limitations of the case, this is also a great place to discuss them.

Q:What are some of the most common mistakes in case reports?

A: Residents frequently forget to include the color of the patient, the travel history and vaccination history in the initial history.  The numbering of the problem lists is not kept consistent throughout the case report and too few or too many differentials are discussed.  It is also common that the discussion focuses more on a literature review, rather that the key learning points and challenges of the case.

Q: I’ve been asked to review and resubmit my case report, now what?

A: Please read the reviewers comments to identify the areas that need improvement.  The reviewers spend a significant amount of time on these comments and they are there to help you improve your case report for resubmission.  You have 30 days from the time you are notified about the outcome to resubmit your case report.  When editing your case report you cannot include more follow up than was in the initial submission and it must still fit within the 20-page limit.

Q: I’ve failed my initial submission or resubmission, now what?

A: Unfortunately, sometimes a case report is found to have a fatal flaw and cannot be reviewed and resubmitted, or the resubmission does not adequately address the reviewer feedback.  If your case repot does not pass you should read the reviewer feedback and find out what you could have improved upon for your next submission.  If you wish to appeal this decision, you have 30 days from the time you are notified about the outcome to notify the board of directors that you would like to appeal this decision.  The resident must be the one to submit the appeal not the mentor.

Q: I’m unsure if I have chosen an appropriate case or I have questions about writing my case report.  What should I do?

A: If you have questions about writing your case report the first thing you should do is read the credentials guidelines.  If the answer to your question is not in the guidelines, then you should speak to your mentor(s).  If they cannot answer your question, then the credentials committee is happy to speak with you to help answer your questions or discuss your case.  Keep in mind that if you discuss case selection with the committee this does not guarantee that your case will pass.

Q: The final year of my residency falls on a year that there is no NAVDF.  What are my options to present my research?

A: Every four years WCVD is held and there is no NAVDF.  The timing of WCVD is not consistent which can be an issue if you are planning to submit your credentials packet the same year.  If WCVD is held before August 15th, then you could present your research at the meeting and still submit your credentials packet that year and sit boards in the fall.  In this case, your packet would be conditionally approved, and you would get final approval once your research has been presented.  If WCVD is held after August 15th then you would need to find an alternate meeting to present if you are intending to sit boards that fall (please refer to the credentials guidelines for possible alternative options).  Alternatively, you could present your research at NAVDF in your second year if you pan ahead.

Q: I would like to publish my research in a journal that is not listed in the acceptable journals list.  Is this possible and how do I do this?

A: You can publish in a journal that is not on the acceptable journal list as long as this journal is indexed in MEDLINE (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog). If the journal you’d like to use is on this list you must notify the credentials committee of your journal choice for final approval.

Q: What are the important dates to remember for credentials?

A:

August 1st and January 15th – these are the deadlines to submit case reports

December 15th – It is strongly recommended (although not required) that you submit your research project before this date in your third year

June 1st – Credentials packets are due for those planning to sit boards in November

June 30th – Research projects must be accepted for publication by this date

Q: What are the important deadlines for an ACVD mentor?

A:

February 1: New program application deadline (for programs starting the following year)

April 1: Recertification approval notification deadline

May 15: Mentor Annual Benchmark Assessments due for each current resident

August 1: New program approval notification deadline for those submitted in February

October 1: Recertification application deadline if the program has been notified this is due

Q:What documentation should be submitted for a new residency application?

A:

1. Program description- Appendix 2 of the education guidelines provides an example outline
2. Website description for the ACVD website- Appendix 4 of the education guidelines provides an example outline
3. If the program has a sole mentor then a signed letter from the contingency mentor (Appendix 5 of ACVD education guidelines) should be provided
4. If resident already identified then letter from prospective resident acknowledging the contingency plan

Q:What is a contingency mentor and how do I know if I need one?

A:

1. If a program has a single primary mentor (or the second mentor has been boarded for less than two years), a contingency plan must be included in the program description detailing who will take over as mentor if the primary mentor is unable to fulfill his/her obligations to the resident.
2. A diplomate may only provide contingency support for one residency program at a time. They must agree to assume both the financial obligations (e.g., salary) and training responsibilities for the remainder of the residency program if needed.

Q: What is recertification and how often does a residency program go through it?

A:

1. Recertification is intended to ensure that all programs are providing sufficient training for residents and are meeting current Education Guidelines. Programs will be asked to submit their program description, ACVD website summary, a list of all residents trained within the previous 6 years (including if they passed credentials and boards)
2. A Provisional program will be recertified 7 years after its start date to allow time for the first 2 residents to achieve board certification. After that, every program will be recertified every 6 years.
3. Programs will be notified prior to their review on April 1st, approximately 6-months prior to the recertification application due date of October 1A program may still enter VIRMP and accept new residents while undergoing recertification.

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Q: What is the format of the certifying examination?

A: There are a total of 250 questions and all are multiple choice questions with 1 key (correct answer) and 3 distractors. The examination will be divided into 4 sections, each containing 62 or 63 questions. Candidates have 2 hours to complete each section. The questions will be randomized in each section. The certifying examination will be concluded in one day. Candidates that require additional time may require 2 days to complete the examination.

Q: Are all 250 questions graded for the final results?

A: Of the 250 questions, 200 graded questions will be used to determine the final results; these 200 questions have gone through many levels of analysis by Prometric and are deemed fair and good questions. The remaining 50 questions (pre-test questions) will not affect the final results. If these 50 pre-test questions perform “well” (based on the analysis by Prometric), they may be included as graded questions in future ACVD certifying examinations.

Q: Can I review a recently administered ACVD certifying examination to have a better understanding of the difficulty level of the material?

A: Yes, at the NAVDF and WCVD meetings, there is a time set aside for one mentor per program to review the most recent ACVD certifying examination.

Q: Can I make comments or contest any questions after reviewing the exam?

A: Mentors may share their comments with the examination committee members who are present during this review session. However, mentors will not be able to contest any questions after reviewing the examination.

Q: How are new examination questions written and vetted?

A: The ACVD examination committee works with Prometric. New examination questions are written by the examination committee members each year. They are then peer-reviewed by two other ACVD examination committee members. Questions that passed this first stage of peer review are then reviewed by subject matter experts, consisting of ACVD examination committee members and ACVD Diplomates who are not on the examination committee. If the questions are deemed acceptable after the second review, they will be included in the Enemy Study review that also involves ACVD examination committee members and ACVD Diplomates who are not on the examination committee. This third stage review is to ensure that the new questions do not give out the answers to and/or contradict existing and newly written questions. The fourth stage review takes place next, to ensure clarity and good comprehension for all 250 questions. When all the newly written questions pass all the review stages, they may be included in the ACVD certifying examination as pre-test (i.e., unscored or not graded) questions.

Q: Are there any practice test questions or mock exams that I can share with my residents?

A: Practice questions or mock examinations are available on the ACVD website in the Mentor Resources and Resident Resources. This mock exam intends to familiarize ACVD board exam candidates with the nature and style of questions that may be asked on the ACVD board-certifying exam. ACVD board exam candidates are referred to the “ACVD Program and Study Guide” for an accurate and up-to-date breakdown of species- and knowledge domain-specific questions that can be expected on the ACVD board-certifying exam.

Q: What assistance is available to help my resident pay for the ACVD certifying examination?

A: There are stipends available from Royal Canin and Merck for ACVD residents finishing their residency training. To be eligible for the Royal Canin stipend, residents must complete the Royal Canin webinars; there is no prerequisite for the Merck stipend.