Shelter medicine receives full recognition as specialty, fish medicine receives provisional recognition
Published: 22 May 2023
The 9-year-old veterinary specialty in shelter medicine received full recognition from the AVMA American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) in March, while a new specialty in fish medicine received provisional recognition.
Both specialties fall under the umbrella of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, which is an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organization.
In 2012, an Association of Shelter Veterinarians committee petitioned the ABVS to recognize shelter medicine as a specialty. The practice of shelter medicine became a provisionally recognized veterinary specialty (RVS) in 2014. To date, 35 diplomates have been credentialed.
The American Association of Fish Veterinarians (AAFV), with support from the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association (WAVMA), is sponsoring the organizing committee for the provisionally recognized veterinary specialty in fish medicine.
“Fish comprise over 35,000 species in the world and are utilized in a variety of industries including aquaculture, exhibitions, laboratory research, as a natural resource, and as pets,” according to the one-page description of the specialty in fish medicine. “The veterinary medical knowledge pertaining to these industries and fish in general has grown significantly over the years and should be considered a distinct knowledge base from other recognized veterinary specialties (RVSs).”
To see the full version of this story, visit the AVMA News website.
