About the ECVIM-CA
ECVIM-CA is a veterinary specialty organisation, first recognized by the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation (EBVS) in 1994.
The College was developed by the European Society of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ESVIM) as the result of initiatives in the late 1980s to respond to a growing demand for better specialist veterinary services for companion animals and harmonization of certification in this area for better consumer information. The first private initiatives were later coordinated and supervised by the Advisory Committee for Veterinary Training (ACVT) of the European Community (EC). European legislation of veterinary specialization may be enacted in future.
The term ‘companion animal’ that is used here does not include equine, avian or other non-mammalian species.
Objectives
The primary objectives of the College shall be the promotion of study, research and practice of veterinary internal medicine, cardiology and oncology in Europe, and increase the competency of those who practise in this field by:
- establishing guidelines for post-graduate education and training as a prerequisite to becoming a specialist in the specialities of small animal internal medicine, cardiology or oncology;
- examining and authenticating veterinarians as specialists in veterinary internal medicine, cardiology and oncology to serve the veterinary patient, its owner and the public in general, by providing expert care for animals with medical disease, cardiac disease, or cancer;
- encouraging research and other contributions to knowledge in all aspects of small animal internal medicine, cardiology and oncology, and promoting communication and dissemination of this knowledge;
- the development, supervision and assessment of continuing education programmes in veterinary internal medicine, cardiology and oncology;
- committing itself to the development of a culture that recognises the importance of quality, and quality assurance, in its activities, and to this end, the College should develop and implement a strategy for the continuous enhancement of quality;
- guaranteeing and maintaining the highest level of specialisation in internal medicine, cardiology and oncology, according to European Qualifications Framework (EQF) level 8;
- maintaining a register of the practising members of the college so as to inform the EBVS, thereby allowing these members to represent themselves as European Specialists in Veterinary Internal Medicine, Cardiology, or Oncology.
Titles
Obtaining a Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine – Companion Animals (Dipl. ECVIM‐CA) entitles the holder to use the title ‘Diplomate’ or ‘EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine’ by the European Board of Veterinary Specialization (EBVS) which acts as a holder of the European Specialist Register. Diplomates may use “Dipl. ECVIM-CA” as postnominals.
Residents undergoing a formally recognized training programme and registered as such by the ECVIM‐CA may call themselves ECVIM‐CA Resident. No other titles are recognized by the ECVIM‐CA or the EBVS. Terms such as Board‐Eligible or Board‐Qualified are not recognized titles and their use is misleading. One can only be Board Certified when a holder of the Dipl. ECVIM‐CA. All ECVIM‐CA members and Residents must abide by the use of appropriate titles.
The following diagram demonstrates the overall structure of the ECVIM-CA Committees.
