Certification

Recertification

The American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine has established a program of recertification for Diplomates.

Purpose: To assist active Diplomates in maintaining the quality of educational expertise and the recognition of such qualifications.

Rationale: The purposes of formal recertification can best be met by consistent, documented participation in a combination of scholarly activities, professional development, and service to veterinary medicine, the laboratory animal specialty, and the biomedical community.

Recertification Committee Membership: Six members of the College each with 3 year appointments. The President will each year appoint two new members to the committee. In addition, the President will select one of the senior members of the committee to serve as Chairperson.

Recertification Interval: Recertification of Diplomates will be required at 8 year intervals, commencing with the first calendar year following initial certification. The recertification periods will be staggered so that only about 1/8 of the College membership would come up for recertification during any year.

“Late” Recertification: If insufficient credits are earned in 8 years then recertification could be achieved in the subsequent year by completing the requirements for the 8 years plus an additional 1/8 of the requirements. In other words, recertification could be achieved in the 9th year by earning 9/8 of the credits necessary in 8 years. The opportunity for late certification would be limited to one additional year beyond the normal recertification date.

“Early” Recertification: The Recertification Committee will examine credits fro all candidates who request early recertification. The Diplomates must accrue the total number of credits for recertification AND request in writing that they wish to be considered for early recertification. In cases of requests for early recertification, all decisions of the Recertification Committee will be final. (There will be no appeal process for failure to grant early recertification.) For those Diplomates that successfully recertify early, the “recertification clock” will restart the year of approval requiring the candidate to recertify eight years later.

Establishment of Accrued Credits for Recertification: A total of 400 recertification credits must be attained during each 8 year recertification period. A maximum of 400 credits each 8 years will be permitted for the Continuing Education/Professional Development section. However, only 300 total credits over 8 years will be allowed for scholarly activities, and a maximum of 200 total credits allowed for service activities.

Accounting Procedure: Credit submission will be based on the honor system. The Recertification Committee shall develop appropriate forms for maintenance of Continuing Education, Scholarly Activity and Service Credits and establish the criteria for auditing these credits. ACLAM shall provide the standardized form and format for submission of the Diplomate’s recertification application. The form will be mailed by the College every year. The form will contain the date by which it must be submitted to the Recertification Committee. Ideally, when the Diplomate’s annual dues are paid, the forms would be mailed to ACLAM for evaluation by the Recertification Committee. The Recertification Committee will consider any worthwhile activity that demonstrably contributes to an individual’s professional development or maintenance of currency in the laboratory animal medicine specialty. Diplomates should submit accrued credits annually and a running tally of credits will be provided to the Diplomates annually.

Appeals Process:

  1. ACLAM shall provide guidelines pertaining to acceptable scholarly and service activities, and a standardized form and instructions for submission of the candidate’s recertification application. The form will contain the date by which it must be submitted to the Executive Director. The Diplomate is encouraged to submit accrued credits annually to confirm the acceptability of those credits, thereby reducing the potential number of appeals. A running tally of credits accrued will be provided to the candidate on an annual basis.
  2. The Recertification Committee will evaluate the recertification form of the Diplomate and accept or reject credits. If the Recertification Committee rejects any of the Diplomate’s proposed credits it will inform the Diplomate in writing of which credits were unacceptable and the reason(s) that they were not accepted. If the Diplomate retains sufficient credits to be recertified, notification of the non-acceptance of some credits shall be sufficient, and no further action is required. In those cases where the rejection of credits leaves the candidate with fewer credits than required for recertification, the Diplomate will be notified by certified letter.
  3. Following notification of non-acceptance by the Recertification Committee the Diplomate will be given 30 days to:
    1. provide additional justification and information supporting reinstatement of the rejected credits, or
    2. submit information on substitute credits.
  4. If the rejection of the candidate’s submitted credits results in a failure to qualify for recertification, the Diplomate may appeal the decision of the Recertification Committee by submitting an appeal in writing to the Board of Directors. The Board will appoint an appeals committee consisting of not less than three members, none of whom may be members of the Recertification Committee, to evaluate the merits of the appeal and the findings of the Recertification Committee and report them to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall make a final decision on the appeal and inform the Diplomate by certified mail.
  5. During any appeal process, any College publications, membership directories, etc. in which the certification status of the members is listed shall list the member as “certification current.”
  6. In the event the Diplomate is rendered unable to fulfill the recertification requirements on schedule due to an incapacitating illness, the Recertification Committee may vote to extend the deadline for recertification.
  7. There will be no appeals process for those Diplomates who request early recertification. There will be no appeals process for determining the suitability of submitted ACLAM examination material.

Status of Recertified Diplomates/Directory Listing: All ACLAM Diplomates regardless of year for initial date of certification (i.e. before 1972) shall be referred to as “Certification Current” if they have 1) completed the recertification requirements, or 2) have not yet reached the date on which recertification is required.

List of Credits for Recertification: (400 credits required over 8 year period)

  1. Professional Development/Continuing Education
    (Maximum 400 credits per 8 years with 100 Credits required in this category). Attendance at laboratory animal medicine focused meetings - 3 Cr/hr Attendance at ACLAM exam review - 3 Cr/hr
    1. Attendance at other acceptable meetings - 2 Cr/hr
    2. Study of ACLAM approved continuing education materials - 2 CR/hr of study
    3. Attendance in acceptable coursework - 1 Cr/Contact hr
  2. Scholarly Activities (Maximum 300 Credits per 8 years with no minimum required)
    1. Publication in laboratory animal medicine focused media: 100 Cr First Author / 50 Cr Other Author
    2. Publication in other media on an area related to laboratory animal medicine: 80 Cr First Author / 40 Cr Other Author
    3. Presentation, platform/poster presented at any local, regional, national, international meeting: 40 Cr First Author / 20 Cr Other Author
    4. Teaching/lecturing - 2 Cr/ contact hr
    5. Reviewer/editorial board for journal - 1 Cr/contact hr
  3. Service Activities (Maximum 200 Credits per 8 years with no minimum required)\
    • Effort devoted to laboratory animal science organizations - 1 Cr/hr
    • Organizations include: ACLAM, ASLAP, APV, AALAS, AAALAC, ILAR, FBR, SCAW, AWIX, etc.) This also includes laboratory animal science activities in broader organizations such as AVMA, NIH, USDA and scientific and professional organizations at state, national, and international levels.

Definitions

Laboratory Animal Medicine (LAM) Focused Meetings include: ACLAM Forum, National and Regional AALAS, LAM sessions of AVMA, POLA, NIH/OPRR, Charles River Short Course or a specific meeting focused on laboratory animal medicine or laboratory animal science (includes management and regulatory aspects). The Diplomate will decide if it is focused on LAM or not. The Recertification Committee may ask for clarification or decrease the credits if the meeting is not determined to be LAM focused.

“Other” Acceptable Meetings include: local, state, national meetings on veterinary clinical medicine, biomedical sciences, or other subjects deemed valuable to the practice of laboratory animal medicine (may include: pathology, microbiology, physiology, pharmacology, genetics, teratology, toxicology, neuroscience, cellular biology, molecular biology, etc.)

ACLAM Approved Continuing Educational Materials are those approved for self study and recertification credits by the ACLAM Continuing Education Committee.

Acceptable Coursework includes: Acceptable coursework is reserved for postgraduate level or equivalent formal coursework in any subject that enhances the Diplomate’s direct or ancillary knowledge in laboratory animal medicine. Acceptable course work may include: resource management, OSHA/regulatory courses, pathology, microbiology, physiology, pharmacology, genetics, teratology, toxicology, neuroscience, cellular biology, molecular biology, etc.

Laboratory Animal Medicine Focused Publications include: ACLAM texts, Laboratory Animal Science, Lab Animal, Contemporary Topics, etc.

“Other” Publications include: clinical reports in JAVMA, etc.

“Author” includes: author of manuscript in refereed journal as well as book editor, chapter author, or author of autotutorial slide set, video, etc. The submission is left to the discretion of the Diplomate.

Teaching/Lecturing includes: Acceptable teaching is generally reserved for college or professional level teaching. However, other examples may include teaching AALAS technician courses, other LAM specific courses, teaching investigators or formal courses given to IACUC members.

Service Activities include: Effort devoted to laboratory animal science organizations including ACLAM, ASLAP, APV, AALAS, AAALAC, ILAR, FBR, SCAW, AWIC, etc. This also includes laboratory animal science activities in broader organizations such as AVMA, NIH, USDA and scientific and professional organizations of state, national and international levels.

Helpful Documents

Recertification Form [15KB PDF]

Tips [20KB PDF]

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