Florida becomes 44th US Jurisdiction to accept PAVE Certificate

Florida now accepts the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence (PAVE) Certificate as part of the license process for international veterinary students.

The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) announced recently that the Florida Board of Veterinary Medicine has become the 44th US jurisdiction to accept the PAVE Certificate (Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence) as a part of the licensure process for international veterinary graduates.

PAVE evaluates the education equivalence of graduates of non-accredited veterinary programs outside the United States and Canada on behalf of participating AAVSB member boards.

“The AAVSB is always laser focused on member boards having the right information at the right time to be able to make a licensure decision. This is especially pertinent today as our membership grapples with how to streamline the veterinary licensure process during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said AAVSB Executive Director James T. Penrod, CAE, FASLA, in an organizational release.

To attain a PAVE Certificate, an international student must prove they are proficient in English, pass the AAVSB’s Qualifying Science Exam (QSE), and complete an Evaluated Clinical Experience at an AVMA Council on Education–accredited institution.

In addition to North America, PAVE certification is also part of the veterinary licensure process in Australia and New Zealand.

Learn more about the AAVSB and PAVE here.