AVBC Announces Record Number of Successful Australasian Veterinary Examination (AVE) Candidates in 2022

23 January 2022

As many Australasian veterinary schools were presenting testamurs to graduates of veterinary programs, the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) celebrated 43 successful candidates of its Australasian Veterinary Examination (AVE) in 2022. Overseas-qualified veterinarians with a veterinary qualification that the AVBC does not recognise must meet all requirements of the Australasian Veterinary Examination (AVE) to obtain full veterinary registration to practise in Australia & New Zealand.

AVBC’s Australasian Veterinary Examination Committee (AVEC) confirmed the record number of 43 successful AVE graduates in the 2022 calendar year – doubling the previous record of 21 in 2021 (see the 10-year trend in the diagram below).

The successful candidates came from around the world – including Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Poland, and Iran. To meet the requirements of the AVE, candidates must complete an eligibility stage (where English language skills are assessed), followed by a two-part multiple-choice question (MCQ) examination usually held in April. The MCQ examination is taken by secure computer delivery in test centres in Australia, New Zealand, and several venues worldwide. The final (clinical) examination involves a series of practical examinations held over five days at the University of Queensland‘s Gatton campus.

The trend in AVE Candidate Pass Rates 2013-2022

*see note below re: 2020 numbers

The striking increase in numbers was partly due to increased interest and enrolments in the AVE since 2018 and a backlog of candidates caused by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, all AVE examinations were cancelled in 2020, and there was ongoing disruption to candidates’ access to the exam in 2021 due to continuing lockdowns, border closures and quarantine requirements. To manage the backlog, in 2022 AVEC offered three clinical exam sessions.

AVEC Chair, Professor Andrew Dart, said, “it is pleasing, after the cancellation of all of the clinical examination sessions in 2020 and the disruptions and uncertainty of lockdowns and border closures continuing into 2021, to be able to welcome 43 new AVE graduates to the veterinary profession in Australia and New Zealand in 2022. My thanks to all who assist with the delivery of these exams. I think it’s fair to say that everyone involved finds it a rewarding experience, and the excellent results in 2022 reflect the candidates’ hard work.”

AVEC is particularly grateful to the University of Queensland for their willingness to assist with additional access to the examination venue. The UQ team have provided excellent service over many years and are willing to go to great lengths to ensure the examination runs smoothly.

AVBC works towards building a fit-for-purpose and sustainable veterinary profession for Australia & New Zealand and providing the AVE pathway to registration is part of this work. International veterinarians bring unique experiences, expertise, diversity and cultures to the veterinary profession in Australia & New Zealand.

Executive Director Dr Julie Strous said, “There is much to celebrate here as this year we effectively welcome half an additional university cohort of veterinarians eligible to register to practise in Australia or New Zealand. The AVE is a valuable pathway to registration for overseas trained vets, allowing them to demonstrate competency to the registration boards and so continue their chosen profession in Australia or New Zealand.”

AVBC would like to extend its thanks to the AVE Chief examiner, all the examiners and observers, the AVE committee members and the team at the University of Queensland who assisted with the 2022 examinations.

More information about the Australasian Veterinary Examination can be found on the AVBC website.

 Notes:

* All AVE examinations were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID. AVEC pivoted/resolved to offer custom virtual re-sits of the viva-style exam sections to the 7 remaining clinical examination AVE candidates then eligible for supplementary examination, most of whom took up the offer. There were 3 AVE graduates from this process in 2020.

• The National Veterinary Examination (NVE) changed its name in September 2019 to the Australasian Veterinary Examination (AVE).
• The AVBC standing committee which has oversight of the NVE was called the NVE Board of Examiners and is now called the Australasian Veterinary Examination Committee (AVEC).