The American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (ACVAA) is one of the veterinary specialist colleges recognized by the

American Veterinary Medical Association The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 99,500 veterinarians in the US. The AVMA provides information resources, continuing education opportunities, publicatio ...

History

The American Society of Veterinary Anesthesiology (ASVA) was founded in 1970 during an AVMA conference in

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, Nevada. The founding officers were Drs. Charles E. Short, William V. Lumb, Donald C. Sawyer, Lawrence R. Soma, and Daniel Roberts, with Dr. Short serving as the first president. The society received approval from the AVMA the following year. In 1971, the ASVA appointed a committee headed by Dr. John Thurman to establish

anesthesiology Anesthesiology, anaesthesiology, or anaesthesia is the medical specialty concerned with the total perioperative care of patients before, during and after surgery. It encompasses anesthesia, intensive care medicine, critical emergency medicine, ...

as a formally recognized AVMA specialty. A proposal was prepared and submitted to the AVMA Council on Education in 1973; however, it was initially rejected, with the COE advising that anesthesiologists be incorporated into the existing internal medicine or surgery specialty colleges. However, two years later, the proposal was granted preliminary recognition, and the ASVA became the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia (ACVA). The first qualifying exam was held in 1976, and full AVMA accreditation was awarded in 1980. In 2012, recognizing the pivotal role of the specialty in treating pain in animals, the ACVA added "analgesia" to the name of the college, becoming the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (ACVAA).

Membership

Members of the ACVAA are board-certified specialists in

veterinary anesthesia Veterinary anesthesia is anesthesia performed on non-human animals by a veterinarian or a Registered Veterinary Technician. Anesthesia is used for a wider range of circumstances in animals than in people, due to animals' inability to cooperate with ...

and analgesia and may refer to themselves as Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (DACVAA). In order to become a diplomate,

veterinarians A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...

must have earned a

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...

(DVM) degree or equivalent, completed a 12 month postgraduate internship, completed training in an approved

residency Residency may refer to: * Domicile (law), the act of establishing or maintaining a residence in a given place ** Permanent residency, indefinite residence within a country despite not having citizenship * Residency (medicine), a stage of postgrad ...

program (3 years minimum), and passed the ACVAA certifying exam. The certifying exam consists of separate multiple choice, essay, and clinical competency exams over a period of 2-3 days. Publication of original research is required for candidates to sit for the exam. , the AVMA reported 291 active ACVAA diplomates.

Function

The ACVAA serves as the only recognized organization in North America granting board certification in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia. Members of the ACVAA are sought for their expert opinion on matters related to

and analgesia. They may be employed in private or academic veterinary hospitals, research institutions, or in health-related industries. Veterinary anesthesiologists fill a wide variety of roles, from clinical practice to research and education in the field of veterinary anesthesia and pain management. The ACVAA occasionally publishes guidelines and position statements to promote

best practices A best practice is a method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to other known alternatives because it often produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become a standard way of doing ...

in veterinary anesthesia. ''Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia'' is the official scientific publication of the ACVAA, ECVAA, and the

Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists The Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists (AVA) are a group of people who promote the usage, research, and study of anaesthesia in veterinary medicine. History The Association was established in 1964, and they meet regularly in Europe to discu ...

Executive officers

Residency programs

Most veterinary anesthesia residency programs are filled through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program. ACVAA-approved residency programs are registered at the following institutions: *

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* Université de Montréal Faculty of Veterinary Medicine *

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* Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine *

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References

External links

* {{Official website, https://acvaa.org/
''Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia'' (journal)

American Board of Veterinary Specialties
Veterinary organizations