Preparation for the Examinations

It is the responsibility of each candidate to ensure that s/he is adequately prepared prior to attempting the Examination.

The NEB does not provide any instruction or tutoring to assist candidates in preparing for the Examination. However, as a partial aid for Examination preparation, we provide a suggested bibliography here. This list proposes a number of titles, which could prove useful in preparing for the Examination. It is not a complete listing, however, and the NEB recommends that candidates consult as many veterinary sources as possible prior to the Examination.

Tips on Preparing for the CPE

  • Language Skills are very important. Candidates must ensure that a lack of proficiency in English or French does not hinder the successful completion of the CPE.
  • Read the CPE Manual of Administration. If there are any parts that are not clear, contact the NEB office for clarification. Familiarise yourself with each section in detail, as well as the general information.
  • Self-assessment of Skills. Identify sections or stations for which experience or training may be required.
  • Obtain Experience. Having determined areas for improvement, spend sufficient time gaining experience. Experience required by the CPE can be of two types: non-veterinary, such as animal handling, and veterinary. For example, the non-veterinary experience may be gained by working or volunteering on a farm.
  • Practice Working Under Pressure. Practice skills until they are performed quickly. Memorise the steps involved in doing a physical examination in order to effectively work through the process in the prescribed time. Practice speaking about a simulated patient, covering all of the required steps outlined in the CPE Manual of Administration.

Candidates are instructed not to visit examination sites prior to appearing for the CPE in order to obtain clinical experience. Indeed, candidates are not permitted to communicate with Examiners prior to or following the administration of the exam. For this reason, you must seek your experience away from the examination site. The site may, however, have visual teaching materials in their library that may be available to CPE candidates.

Suggested Bibliography for Preparing for the NEB Examination

You are advised that the following list is not intended to be exhaustive. Some or all of the following text books may be available from the library of a university in your region or one of the four veterinary college in Canada, the coordinates of which are found under "Canadian Veterinary Colleges".

  1. Miller's Guide to the Dissection of the Dog, Evans E.H. and De LaHunta, Fourth edition, 1996, W.B. Saunders.
  2. Evans E.H., and Christensen G.C., Anatomy of the Dog, Third edition, 1993, W.B. Saunders.
  3. Getty R., Sisson and Grossman's the Anatomy of Domestic Animals, Fifth edition, 1975, W.B. Saunders.
  4. De LaHunta and Habel, Applied Veterinary Anatomy, First edition, 1986, W.B. Saunders.
  5. Banks W.J., Applied Veterinary Histology, Third edition, 1993, Williams and Wilkins.
  6. Harpers Biochemistry, Murray R.K. et al., Twenty-fifth edition, 1999, McGraw-Hill.
  7. Duke's Physiology of Domestic Animals, Edited by Swanson M.J., Eleventh edition, 1993, Cornell University Press.
  8. De LaHunta, Veterinary Neuroanatomy and Clinical Neurology, Second edition, 1983, W.B. Saunders.
  9. Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Edited By Adams, H.R., Seventh edition, 1995, Iowa State University Press.
  10. Clinical and Diagnostic Veterinary Toxicology, Edited by Osweiler G.et al., third edition, 1985, Kendal Hunt Publishing Co.
  11. Tizard, I., Veterinary Immunology. An Introduction, Fifth edition, 2000, W.B. Saunders.
  12. Gillespie J.H. and Timoney J.F., Hagan and Bruner's Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals, Eighth edition, 1988, Cornell University Press.
  13. Carter G.R., Diagnostic Procedures in Veterinary Bacteriology and Mycology, Fifth edition, 1990, Charles C. Thomas.
  14. Soulsby, Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa of Domestic Animals, Seventh edition, 1982, Lea and Febiger.
  15. Georgis, Bowman, Parasitology for Veterinarians, Seventh edition, 1999, W.B. Saunders.
  16. Schwabe et al., Veterinary Medicine and Human Health, Third edition, 1984, Williams and Wilkins.
  17. Martin et al., Veterinary Epidemiology, Principles and Methods, First edition, 1987, Iowa State University Press.
  18. Thomson R.G., General Veterinary Pathology, Second edition, 1984, W.B. Saunders.
  19. Carlton et al, Thomson’s Special Veterinary Pathology, Second edition, 1995, B.C. Decker.
  20. Jubb, Kennedy-Palmer, Pathology of Domestic Animals (Vols. I, II, III), Fourth edition, 1993, Academic Press.
  21. Duncan J.R. and Prasse K.W., Veterinary Laboratory Medicine, Third edition, 1994, Iowa State University Press.
  22. Coles E.H., Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Fourth edition, 1986, W.B. Saunders.
  23. Current Veterinary Therapy - Small Animal Practice XIII, Edited by J.D. Bonagura, 1999, W.B. Saunders.
  24. Ettinger, Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Vols. I and II), Fifth edition, 2000, W.B. Saunders.
  25. Catcott E.J., Feline Medicine, First edition, 1983, American Veterinary Publications.
  26. Kirk R.W. et al., Handbook of Veterinary Procedures and Emergency Treatment, Seventh edition, 2000, W.B. Saunders.
  27. Slatter D.H., Textbook of Small Animal Surgery. Vols I, II, Second edition, 1993, W.B. Saunders.
  28. Bojrab M.J., Current Techniques in Small Animal Surgery, Fourth edition, 1998, Lea and Febiger.
  29. Bistner, Atlas of Veterinary Ophthalmic Surgery, First edition, 1977, W.B. Saunders.
  30. Short C.E., Principles and Practice of Veterinary Anaesthesia, First edition, 1987, Williams and Wilkins.
  31. Thrall D.E., Textbook of Veterinary Diagnostic Radiology, Third edition, 1997, W.B. Saunders.
  32. Muller, Kirk, Scott, Small Animal Dermatology, Fifth edition, 1995, W.B. Saunders.
  33. Radostits, O.M. et al, Veterinary Medicine, Ninth edition, 2000, W.B. Saunders.
  34. Current Veterinary Therapy - Food Animal Practice 4, Edited by J.L. Howard, 1999, W.B. Saunders.
  35. Current Therapy in Theriogenology 2, Edited by D.A. Morrow, 1986, W.B. Saunders.
  36. Oehme F.W., Textbook of Large Animal Surgery, Second edition, 1988, Williams and Wilkins.
  37. Jennings P.B., The practice of Large Animal Surgery. Vols I and II, First edition, 1984, W.B. Saunders.
  38. Equine Medicine and Surgery Vols I and II, Multiple editors, Fifth edition, 1999, W.B. Saunders.
  39. Current Therapy in Equine Medicine 4, Edited by E. Robinson, 1997, W.B. Saunders.
  40. Stashak T.S., Adam's Lameness in horses, Fifth edition, 1998, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
  41. Diseases of Swine, Edited by B.E. Straw, Eighth edition, 1999, Iowa State University Press.
  42. Diseases of Poultry, Edited by B.W. Calnek, Tenth edition, 1997, Iowa State University Press.
  43. Hrapkiewicz, K. et al, Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine: An Introduction, Second edition, 1998, Iowa State University Press.
  44. Cohen and Loew, Laboratory Animal Medicine, 1984, Academic Press.
  45. Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia, JAVMA 188: pp. 252-268, 1986.
  46. The Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian, Published monthly by Veterinary Learning Systems, Princeton Junction, N.J. 08550.
  47. The Veterinary Clinics of North America, Published three times yearly by W.B. Saunders.
  48. Advances in Veterinary Science, Published irregularly, Academic Press.
  49. Merk Veterinary Manual, Eighth edition: 1998.
  50. Practices in Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine in the United States, Edited by T. Woods, First edition, 1986, Iowa State University Press.
  51. Schnurrenberger R. et al., Attacking Animal Diseases: Concepts and Strategies for Control and Eradication, First edition, 1987, Iowa State University Press.
  52. Wilson J.F., Law and Ethics of the Veterinary Profession, First edition, 1988, Priority Press Ltd.
  53. Gracey J.F., Meat Hygiene, Tenth edition, 1999, W.B. Saunders.