Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination (BCSE)

Overview

The Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination (BCSE) has been developed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) as one of the steps in assessing educational equivalency for purposes of certification. The NEB has incorporated the BCSE in its veterinary licensing examination process in view of granting its Certificate of Qualification to graduates of non-accredited veterinary schools. It is designed to assess basic and clinical veterinary sciences knowledge. The knowledge level expected to receive a passing score on the BCSE is that of an entry-level Canadian or US veterinarian (i.e., a new graduate of an AVMA-accredited veterinary school).

The computer-based BCSE consists of 225 multiple-choice questions, many with graphics, which must be completed within a 220-minute test session. You should answer all of the questions because your score will be based on the number of correct answers you mark (one point for each question correct). No points will be deducted for wrong answers. In addition to the 220-minute test session, your four-hour testing appointment will include a brief tutorial to introduce you to computer-based testing and an exit evaluation at the end of the examination.

No candidate is expected to obtain a perfect score on the BCSE. However, candidates should have considerable familiarity with the subject matter of each question. A candidate should look for the best choice and not be misled by other choices that may be only partially true. Only one choice may be marked for each question.

Candidates should read each test question carefully before attempting to answer. For each question, decide which one of the suggested options is best. Be certain that you have answered all the questions on the test before exiting the test and leaving the test centre. You may not access the test after signing out of your testing session and leaving the test centre.

All candidates should read this entire section of the NEB Candidate Information wiki, which is designed to ensure familiarity with application and scheduling procedures (including accommodation requests), exam fees, security and test behaviour expectations, score reporting, and content for the BCSE. If questions remain after reading the NEB Candidate Information in its entirety, please contact the NEB staff in Ottawa.

In addition, policy and schedule changes impacting candidates taking the BCSE may occur at any time. It is the candidate's responsibility to monitor the NEB and ECFVG Web sites at CVMA and www.avma.org/education/ecfvg/default.asp for information about program policies and changes.

Registration Procedure - The BCSE

Candidates must apply to the National Examining Board (NEB) of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association in Ottawa, Ontario.

Prior to the next available examination session, an applicant who is a graduate, or a final year student (within 12 months of graduation), of a non-Canadian college of veterinary medicine and who has been granted eligibility to register for the examination may register to take the BCSE by submitting:

• The completed registration form;
• The appropriate Examination Fee.

BCSE Test Content Outline

The BCSE test content outline is based on the results of a job analysis conducted in 2006 by the ECFVG in consultation with Thomson Prometric. For the job analysis survey, more than 3,500 veterinarians provided input related to the level of importance for a recent graduate of an AVMA-accredited US or Canadian veterinary school to be proficient in specific basic and clinical sciences knowledge areas.

The table in Appendix A provides a summary of the major content areas and numbers of questions in the BCSE.

Appendix A: BCSE Test Content Outline

2015 BCSE Schedule

After submission of your registration for the BCSE to the National Examining Board (NEB) and after having paid the nonrefundable and nontransferable testing fee, you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter inviting you to book a testing date. Since the beginning of April 2012 the BCSE is being offered at Prometric Testing Centers on a continuous basis.

BCSE Test Content Outline

The BCSE and the NAVLE®

The BCSE is designed to help assess educational equivalency of graduates of non-AVMA/Council on Education accredited schools for the purpose of meeting the educational prerequisite for a provincial or state license or certain types of employment. It is not designed to replace licensing examinations or other license or employment requirements as established by individual provincial or state veterinary regulatory boards or employers.

New applicants approved as candidates by the NEB from March 10, 2007, will be required to complete the new three-examination process in order to be granted a CQ. Successful completion of the NAVLE will continue to be a requirement to obtain a CQ, but it will be the final step in the NEB veterinary licensing examination process.

Please note – the International Council for Veterinary Assessment (ICVA), the owner and administrator of the NAVLE, has the authority to make decisions regarding the administration of this licensing examination. Each provincial and state board may also establish other licensing requirements, including state examinations. If you are seeking a provincial or state license, you should contact the veterinary regulatory board in the province or state in which you anticipate seeking a license as early as possible to determine all licensing prerequisites and requirements.

You must complete all steps of the NEB program to become certified and meet the educational prerequisite established by the veterinary regulatory board in those provinces requiring or accepting NEB certification. Please note that the ICVA has indicated that after April 2007, ECFVG candidates who successfully complete the BCSE will be eligible to take the NAVLE, regardless of ECFVG certification status. If you are a candidate of the ECFVG, please check with ICVA to determine current NAVLE eligibility requirements.

Questions regarding the four steps of the ECFVG program should be directed to ECFVG@avma.org; questions regarding licensing prerequisites and requirements should be addressed to the individual provincial or state regulatory board; questions regarding the NAVLE may be directed to the ICVA.

BCSE Schedule

The BCSE is being offered on a continuous basis starting April 1st, 2012. The exam will be administered at Prometric Inc.TM test centres throughout Canada and the USA. Please go online at www.prometric.com to view the list of test centres available to you for the BCSE. After having registered for the BCSE with the NEB, the candidate will receive an Authorization to Test letter inviting candidates to book a testing date.

Ordinarily, candidates can expect BCSE results about 20 business days following the test date.

Application for the BCSE and Authorisation to Test

Upon receipt of your completed BCSE registration, any other required documents (including accommodation requests), and the testing fee, an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter with a unique identification number will be available for you to download from your portal once it is processed (within 20 business days). The ATT will provide you with information on the eligibility period to schedule and take the BCSE.

You must not lose your ATT and unique identification number - both are required to schedule a test appointment and to confirm your scheduled test on site. The ATT letter can be printed from the NEB Candidate Portal. After logging in to your profile you can access it by clicking "view ATT letter" under your most recent BCSE registration. If you have any issues accessing your ATT, please contact the NEB by e-mail neb-bne@cvma-acmv.org, as soon as possible. Likewise, if you do not receive the ATT and unique identification number within 20 business days after submitting the BCSE application and fee, immediately notify the NEB. The NEB is not responsible for misdirected or lost ATTs or for ATTs that were not received by the candidate. Please note that ATTs and unique identification numbers cannot be issued via phone or fax.

Because of the importance of the ATT and unique identification number, it is the responsibility of each candidate to keep the NEB office informed of any change in contact information. Changes in contact information must be made on the NEB Candidate Portal or, if you do not have an account yet, in writing to neb-bne@cvma-acmv.org.

Registration Validity Period

A registration form is only valid for one test. If you have to retake the test, you have to submit a new registration form. Candidates must take the BCSE within 365 days of the date their registration is processed by the NEB office. If one does not take the BCSE during the 365-day eligibility period, which will be indicated on the ATT letter, the application will become invalid, and candidates will not be able to test without submitting another registration and the fee. It is not sufficient to simply schedule a testing appointment within the 365-day eligibility period; the BCSE must actually be taken during this time. Once a registration has been processed, candidates will receive an ATT letter that will contain additional information regarding the scheduling process.

Testing Accommodations for the BCSE

Reasonable accommodation will be made for a candidate with a documented disability. A request for accommodations to take the BCSE must accompany the BCSE registration form including supporting documents and must provide the NEB with sufficient time (at least 60 days before the day of the testing date) to review the accommodation request.

The NEB’s procedures provide information regarding how to document a disability and a related need for accommodations for candidates for the BCSE. The information and documents submitted should be as comprehensive as possible in order to allow the NEB to make an informed decision regarding the accommodation request and to avoid delays in the decision-making process. A copy of the relevant procedures is available by e-mail from the NEB office at neb-bne@cvma-acmv.org.

Scheduling Your Testing Appointment

Once you receive your ATT and unique identification number, you should schedule your testing appointment as soon as possible. Even if you do not plan to take the test for several weeks, it is preferable to schedule your appointment early. This will ensure you maximum opportunity to schedule your appointment for the test centre, date, and time that is most convenient to you. Waiting to schedule your testing appointment may affect the availability of an appointment at a test centre of your choice. Your ATT does not guarantee a testing appointment at the centre, on the date or at the time you prefer. Scheduling early rather than waiting to the end of your eligibility period will provide you with a greater choice of test date, time and location.

When you are ready to schedule your testing appointment, please have your ATT available. You may schedule an appointment online 24 hours a day, seven days per week at American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). You may also call the Prometric Candidate Services Call Centre at 800-864-5312, ext. 4510, during regular weekday business hours. For a complete list of Prometric Testing centre locations, please check the Prometric Web site at Prometric. You may take your test at any Prometric location, regardless of where you currently reside or where you wish to become licensed as a veterinarian.

Scheduling services are available for hearing-impaired candidates via telecommunications devices by calling 1-800-529-5390 (TTD).

When you schedule your testing appointment, you will be asked to specify your preference for a test centre, date, and time. Test centres are generally open from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm but many have extended hours, including weekends. You may also obtain directions to the test centre. When you schedule your appointment you will be issued an appointment confirmation number, which you will need to bring with you on the day of your examination. Be sure to write the information down. You may also confirm and print your appointment information online at Prometric.

Failure to keep an originally scheduled or rescheduled appointment will result in forfeiture of all test fees. You will have to reapply for the examination and pay all applicable fees. Be certain to schedule your testing appointment at a date and time that you will be able to keep. The NEB does allow rescheduling, but NOT cancelling, a testing appointment once one has been made. Rescheduling a testing appointment must be done through Prometric at American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) or, during regular weekday business hours, 800-864-5312, ext. 4510, and the following fees apply:

Candidates who schedule or reschedule an appointment and then do not keep that appointment will be required to reapply for the examination and pay all applicable fees. Only in extreme hardship situations (e.g., documented medical condition of the candidate or death in the immediate family) will cancelled examinations (i.e., no shows) be rescheduled to a later test window without forfeiture of all fees. The NEB will make determinations of exceptions allowed.

Location of Test Centres

Prometric test centres for the BCSE are available throughout the US, US territories, Canada, and various other countries. You may schedule your appointment to test at any centre regardless of where you currently reside or where you intend to practice. However, there are additional fees, as determined by Prometric, for testing at a centre outside the US, US territories, or Canada. These additional fees in US dollars are payable directly to Prometric when scheduling your testing appointment. The additional fees (subject to fee increases check Prometric website) are as follows:

Prometric test sites provide a standardized testing environment where each testing candidate takes an examination at a workstation with a computer terminal. Other candidates will be testing at the same time as your scheduled appointment and will be taking many different types of examinations. Please go online at American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to view the list of test centres available to you for your BCSE.

Candidate Identification and Security at Test Centres

Because of the importance of the BCSE, numerous security measures will be enforced when you arrive at the test centre to register for the examination, during test administration, and when you complete testing, including direct monitoring during the test by a proctor; and videotaping, audio surveillance, and biometrics to include taking photographs and obtaining fingerprints.

Strict candidate identification requirements have been established as follows:

• You should always use the same form of your name. Do not change the spelling or the order of your name.
• Use the same form of your name that is on your NEB registration form.
• When you arrive at the test centre, you will be required to present a primary photo ID with a signature and your Authorization to Test (ATT). A secondary signature-bearing ID will also be required. You will not be admitted to the examination without both proper forms of identification and your ATT.
• Both pieces of identification must be signed and one must bear a recent photograph of you. The name on both forms of identification must be the same as the name that appears on your ATT.
• If your name has changed since you applied for the BCSE, you will need to bring legal documentation of this change (e.g., a marriage license, divorce decree, court action) with you to the test centre for identification purposes.
• Examples of acceptable forms of primary identification (which must include your signature and photograph) are a current (valid) government issued:
  • passport,
  • driver’s license, or
  • state or federal identification card.
• Examples of acceptable forms of secondary identification (signature required, photograph optional) include all those listed above under acceptable primary forms of identification plus a current (valid):
  • employee identification card,
  • student identification card,
  • military identification card,
  • citizenship card, or
  • credit card.
• The following regulations and procedures are observed at every test centre.
• The test will be administered only on the day and at the time scheduled.
• Candidates must arrive at the test centre at least 30 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment.
• No candidate will be permitted to continue the test beyond the established time limits unless accommodations have been requested and granted as per the policy in Appendix 1 of this Bulletin.
• No questions concerning the content of the examination may be asked during the testing period.
• No personal materials should be brought to the centre, only identification will be allowed in the testing room.
• All other materials must be secured into small lockers that will be provided. Space within the lockers is limited. Test centre staff assumes no responsibility for candidates' personal belongings.
• The following items are prohibited: cell phones, PDAs, pagers, calculators, weapons, photographic devices, briefcases, computers, handbags, wallets, outerwear (coats, hats), food, beverages, tissues, books, reference materials and any others restricted by test centre policies.
• No smoking is allowed in the test centre.
• Visitors and/or family members may not accompany candidates to the test centre. They will not be allowed to wait at the test centre while testing is underway.
• Scratch paper may not be brought into the test centre. Should you need scratch paper, it will be provided.
• A candidate who wishes to leave the room during the administration must obtain the supervisor's permission. Please raise your hand and wait to be dismissed. No breaks are scheduled during the examination. Test session time for candidates who choose to leave the examination for unscheduled breaks will continue to count down toward completion of your testing appointment. Please note that a candidate's test session and appointment will be terminated if he/she leaves the test centre for any reason during the testing appointment.
• A supervisor may dismiss a candidate from the administration for any of the following reasons:
  • using any unauthorized aids.
  • committing misconduct, including, but not limited to, disruptive behaviour, giving or receiving help, not following the regulations of the test centre, or other unacceptable behaviour
  • attempting to remove or reproduce test materials or notes from the examination room (See the copyright notice and following rules of misconduct)
  • impersonating another individual.

Constant surveillance is maintained during the testing session. Candidates may be photographed as well as video and audio recorded. Test centre personnel will maintain direct observation of candidates testing at all times.

What to Expect on the Day of Your BCSE

Plan to arrive at the test centre at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment to allow time for the check-in process. Most candidates will begin their testing session within 30 minutes of their scheduled appointment. On rare occasions, technical difficulties may occur at the test centre. Every effort will be made to correct those problems and resume testing as soon as possible.

If you are not able to begin testing within 30 minutes, you will be offered the opportunity to continue to wait or to reschedule your appointment without an additional fee. We regret that the NEB will not compensate for any expenses associated with appointments that need to be rescheduled due to acts of nature or technology-related issues.

If you arrive at the test centre more than 30 minutes after your scheduled appointment, you may be required to forfeit your appointment. While every opportunity will be made to accommodate the late arrival, you will not be guaranteed a testing appointment. If you forfeit your appointment, no refund or reschedule will be offered and you will need to reapply for another BCSE window.

At the test centre, you will be required to present two (2) forms of identification as indicated in an earlier section of this guide. You must present a primary form of identification, which must be a current government-issued picture ID that includes your signature. A second form of ID must also be presented and must include your signature but not your photograph. The name on both forms of ID must match and must be the same as the name under which you registered for the BCSE, which is also the name that must appear on your ATT. Slight variations in name are acceptable, such as one ID that contains a full middle name while the second ID has only an initial.

If you have had a legal name change since the time of registration for your examination, you must bring legal documentation (e.g., marriage certificate, divorce decree, court action) with you to the test centre to assure that you will be allowed to test. Both forms of identification presented must be current, carry your signature, and the government-issued primary form must contain a photograph of reasonable facsimile to your current appearance.

Please remember, your name as it appears on your BCSE application must match the name on your ATT and on your primary and secondary forms of identification. If the name on your BCSE form or your ATT is not correct, contact the NEB immediately (before your test appointment) by e-mail at neb-bne@cvma-acmv.org.

You will not be admitted to the test without proper ID. If you arrive at the test centre without proper ID to gain admission to your testing appointment, your appointment will be forfeited and you will be required to reapply and repay the testing fee to take the BCSE.

Irregular Behaviour and Candidate Misconduct

The BCSE serves an important public function, and NO misconduct will be tolerated. Rules of Conduct govern the administration of the BCSE, which are designed to ensure that no candidate or group of candidates receives an unfair advantage on the examination, inadvertently or otherwise.

At the beginning of the examination, you will be required to confirm that you have read and that you agree with the following confidentiality and conduct agreement:

I understand and acknowledge that I must abide by the Rules of Conduct and not engage in any form of irregular behaviour. My failure to do so may be sufficient cause to terminate my participation in the examination, invalidate the results of my examination, withhold or revoke my scores or certification, bar my participation in future exams, or take other appropriate action.

Test Centre Administrators monitor the BCSE. A monitor who observes a candidate violating the Rules of Conduct or engaging in other forms of irregular behaviour or misconduct during a BCSE shall report such incidents to Prometric, who in turn will report to the NEB and ECFVG. In addition, one of the following actions may occur:

1. A Test Centre Administrator will file an irregularity report with Prometric describing his or her observations but may not advise the candidate of those observations during the examination.
2. A Test Centre Administrator may dismiss a candidate from the test and file a report with Prometric stating the action and the reasons for dismissal.
3. A Test Centre Administrator may choose to advise the candidate at the time of the observation but not dismiss the candidate from the test. Under such circumstances, the Administrator will file an irregularity report with Prometric describing his or her observations.

Regardless of action taken, when a Test Centre Administrator reports to Prometric that a candidate might have committed misconduct during an examination, Prometric in turn reports to the NEB and ECFVG, and that candidate's test record is reviewed. Each report of irregular behaviour or misconduct shall be investigated by the NEB pursuant to the policy outlined under Irregular Behaviour.

If there is reason to believe that the integrity of the examination process has been jeopardized, the ECFVG may invalidate all or any part of a BCSE administration. Additionally, if information indicates that continued testing would jeopardize the security of examination materials or the integrity of scores, the ECFVG reserves the right to suspend or cancel any BCSE administration.

Score Validity

The ECFVG reserves the sole right to determine whether or not an examination is valid or invalid. The acceptance of a candidate's application to take the examination, the scoring thereof, or the release of said examination results to any party shall not act in any way to amend the right of the ECFVG to determine whether such examinations or the scores achieved thereon are valid or invalid in whole or in part. A determination that an examination and the scores achieved thereon are invalid may be made at any time by the ECFVG. The ECFVG also reserves the right to cancel any scores that may already have been reported when subsequent information raises doubt of their validity.

Occasionally testing irregularities occur that affect a group of test takers. Such problems include, without limitation, administrative errors, defective equipment or materials, improper access to test content and/or the unauthorized general availability of test content, as well as other disruptions of test administrations. When group testing irregularities occur, Prometric will conduct an investigation to provide information to the ECFVG. Based on this information, the ECFVG may direct Prometric to either not score the examination or invalidate the examination scores.

When it is appropriate to do so, the ECFVG and NEB will arrange with Prometric to give affected test takers the opportunity to take the examination again as soon as possible, without charge. Affected test takers will be notified of the reasons for the invalidation and their options for retaking the examination. Please note, the NEB and ECFVG Appeal Procedures do not apply to group testing irregularities.

Limitation of Liability

In no case shall the CVMA, NEB, AVMA, ECFVG, or Prometric be liable to any test taker or group of test takers, either in contract or tort, for cancelling, invalidating, withholding, or changing a test score or result, as provided in this guide. When appropriate, the NEB, ECFVG and/or Prometric, at their discretion, may provide affected test takers with an opportunity to retake an examination or provide a refund of the testing fee paid.

Reporting Test Results

Ordinarily, candidates will receive test results approximately 20 business days following the end of each test date. Test results will be released by the NEB to the candidate via the NEB Candidate Portal. Due to privacy and security stipulations, test results will not be released via telephone or facsimile. Any inquiries regarding test results should be directed to the NEB office.

The NEB and ECFVG do not approve of the use of test results for any purpose other than that for which the examination is developed and conducted; namely, as one factor in assessing educational equivalency for purposes of NEB or ECFVG certification. BCSE results are not to be presented as evidence of eligibility for employment and are not to be used by any individual or institution for the purpose of comparing the quality of educational programs.

Score Interpretation

Scores on the BCSE are determined by converting the number of questions answered correctly out of the number of questions administered to a scale that ranges from approximately 300 to beyond 900. The scale passing score has been set at 580, which corresponds to a level of achievement judged to represent minimum competency.

Candidates who fail the examination must retake the entire examination. Passing candidates will receive a score report with a "Pass" indicated; failing candidates with a failing scale score (between 300 and 579) will see a report in their portal. Also, failing candidates will be able to see the diagnostic indicators for the domains included in the examination. The diagnostic indicators are intended to help identify areas of strength and weakness for failing candidates for further study; they are not to be used for pass/fail determination or any other use.

The diagnostic indicators for each of the nine domains (test content areas) on the BCSE will be reported to failing candidates as follows:

1. Below the level of minimum competence
2. At or above the level of minimum competence

Score Reliability

Reliability refers to the consistency of test scores, the consistency with which candidates are classified as either passing or failing, and the degree to which test scores are free from errors of measurement. Errors of measurement may result from factors related to the test, such as the type of test given or the way it is scored, or from factors external to the test. A candidate's score will not be perfectly consistent from one occasion to the next.

Determination of Passing Scores

A criterion referenced method is used to determine the passing score for the BCSE.

Verification of Scores

Candidates failing any given examination may request a re-scoring of their test record for a fee of $50.00 US per test. However, every BCSE record is scored twice before releasing the results. Therefore, the likelihood of an erroneous score is remote. Re-score requests must be made in writing to Prometric within two (2) months after the examination was administered.

To request a re-score, write to Prometric at the address noted below. Include a cashier's cheque for $50.00 US made payable to Prometric. Personal cheques are not accepted.

Mailing Address:

Prometric
Attn: AVMA Program Manager
Canton Crossing Tower
1501 South Clinton Street
Baltimore, MD 21224

BCSE Retake Policy

Candidates who fail the BCSE must retake the entire examination. Candidates will be permitted to take the BCSE three times within a 12 month period. Therefore, if a candidate takes the BCSE on April 1, 2023, he/she will be allowed to take it two more times prior to April 1, 2024. If a candidate fails all three attempts with the first being on April 1, 2023, he/she will not be eligible to take the BCSE again until April 1, 2024. Candidates must apply for each retest, meet the same registration deadlines as a first-time tester and pay the fee for each administration.

Copyright

All proprietary rights in the examinations, including copyright and trade secrets, are jointly held by the American Veterinary Medical Association and Prometric. In order to protect the integrity of the exam and to assure the validity of the scores that are reported, candidates must adhere to strict guidelines regarding proper conduct in handling these copyrighted, proprietary examinations.

Any attempt to reproduce all or part of an examination is strictly prohibited by law. Such an attempt includes, but is not limited to: attempting to or removing materials from the examination room; aiding others by any means in reconstructing an examination in whole or in part; or selling, distributing in any form including electronic media, receiving in any form including electronic media, or having unauthorized possession of any portion of an examination. Alleged copyright violations will be investigated and, if warranted, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It should also be noted that examination scores may be invalidated in the event of a suspected breach.

Comments and Complaints

Should a candidate wish to file a complaint regarding the BCSE testing experience, he/she may do so by notifying the NEB office in writing within ten (10) days of the candidate's test date. Concerns that are reported in this way will be investigated by the NEB and the ECFVG.

BCSE Tutorial & References

• BCSE Tutorial
• BCSE References