How to Know if Your Veterinarian is a Board-Certified Veterinary Specialist

When your pet faces a serious or complex medical condition, your primary care veterinarian may recommend working with a veterinary specialist. But how can you be sure that the veterinarian you're seeing is a Board-certified specialist?

To become a Board-certified veterinary specialist, a veterinarian must complete veterinary school, followed by at least a one-year internship or equivalent clinical experience. They then undergo a two- to three-year residency program in their chosen specialty. During this time, they must meet strict training and caseload requirements before passing a series of exams. Once completed, they become ‘certified’ by their specialty college and are recognized as Board-certified veterinary specialists.

The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) certifies specialists in these six disciplines:

• Cardiology
• Large Animal Internal Medicine (LAIM)
• Neurology
• Nutrition
• Oncology
• Small Animal Internal Medicine (SAIM)

Veterinary specialists will typically list their credentials as “DACVIM” (Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine), along with their area of specialty. This indicates they have completed all the training and certification requirements needed to be recognized as a Board-certified expert.

Not all veterinarians who use the term “specialist” have completed the necessary training and certification to be recognized as Board-certified. To find a trusted veterinary specialist near you, we encourage you to use the VetSpecialists directory. This site is a reliable resource for locating Board-certified veterinary specialists.