CVPP FAQs
Who is eligible?
All licensed veterinary health professionals with a minimum of five years in full time practice and at least two years of clinical experience working with animals in pain may apply for certification. In addition, candidates must be members of IVAPM for at least one year prior to sitting for the exam.
When are applications due?
The deadline for the application and associated documentation and requirements is November 30th at midnight EST the year prior to when you plan to take the exam. All documents should be submitted online at the same time. The online system will not save your work or accept partial application submissions. Note, there is an application fee to be processed at the time of application submittal ($250 for veterinarians and $150 for licensed veterinary technicians).
What are the requirements for becoming a CVPP?
Requirements include a completed application (click here for application) and supporting documentation, letter of good standing OR proof of licensure (copy of license), two case reports (click here for case report guidelines), documentation of 90 hours of pain-related CE obtained within the last eight years (click here for CE suggestions and documentation), verification of pain management skills (click here for skills document), and successful completion of the CVPP written exam.
Who should provide a letter of good standing?
If you need a letter of good standing instead of proof of licensure, the licensing or governing veterinary board of your state, country, or other official group can provide a letter of good standing.
What should be included in the case reports?
Case reports should focus on analgesic management of patients treated within the five years preceding the application deadline. Each candidate is required to submit two case reports, each focusing on distinctly different types of pain. For example, if one report involves visceral pain, the second report must focus on a different pain, or if one case is acute pain, the other could be chronic pain (or a different type of acute pain). Click here for the case report template and grading criteria. The template must be followed exactly, or the case report will not be accepted. Check out these examples of successful case reports:
Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in a Dog
Multimodal Analgesic Plan for Dental Pain in a Cat
Management of Multiple Painful Comorbidities in a Geriatric Cat
What are the options for meeting the CE requirement?
Examples of approved continuing education (CE) include:
- Pain and analgesia related continuing education (CE) at local, regional, national, international in-person and on-line veterinary and veterinary technician/nurse meetings.
- Vin IVAPM Pain and Analgesia Course
- WSAVA Pain Management Course
- International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) Certification Module 4
- Pain and analgesia training in an internship or residency
- Acupuncture, rehabilitation and other physical medicine courses or training
- IVAPM Partners providing in-person and on-line CE include:
- Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI)
- CURACORE
- Canine Arthritis Resources and Education (CARE)
- Canine Arthritis Management (CAM)
- Veterinary Teaching Academy
- Zero Pain Philosophy
Examples of other online CE providers include:
What pain management skills must be demonstrated?
You must be able to demonstrate competency in a total of 10 of the 29 skills in the following pain management-related categories:
- Pain recognition and diagnosis
- Pain prevention
- Pain treatment using pharmacologic and physical medicine, including rehabilitation techniques
How will I verify my skills competency?
A CVPP, Board Certified Diplomate (eg, ACVAA, ECVAA, ACVSMR), Pain Specific Credentialed Professional (eg, IAAHPC, AARV) or regional equivalent professional depending on your location.
What if there aren't any credentialed professionals in my area?
Video or Zoom (or other online platform) demonstration is a possible option. The person assessing your skills must be an expert in pain management. Contact info@ivapm.org for more information.
Are the requirements and the exam the same for veterinarians and veterinary technicians?
Yes.
Is there an examination fee?
Yes. The exam fee is $250 for veterinarians and $150 for licensed veterinary technicians. This fee is due 30 days prior to taking the exam. Note, there is also an application fee ($250 for veterinarians and $150 for licensed veterinary technicians).
How will the exam be structured?
The examination is closed book and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions. Time is limited to three hours.
What will the exam questions cover?
The multiple-choice exam covers the principles of pain and pain management. Topics include pain pathophysiology, analgesic options/mechanisms of action (including both pharmacologic and physical medicine), recognition/assessment of pain and impact of pain on the patient. The focus is on dogs and cats but questions from other species may be included.
When and where will the examination take place?
The exam is virtual and is scheduled annually for the first Saturday in October at 8am in the candidate's time zone.
Will the IVAPM certification title be bestowed for life?
Yes, as long as your IVAPM membership is up to date.
