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VeterinaryCPE Sections and Passing Rules
Twenty flashcards on the hands-on CPE: its seven sections, the passing standard, fatal flaws and retakes.
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20 cards
- The seven CPE sections?
- Anesthesia, equine practice, food animal practice, necropsy, radiology, small animal medicine and surgery.
- Will CPE sections follow the manual's order?
- Probably not: candidates rotate, so be ready to start with any section or station.
- Which species carry the most weight in the CPE?
- Dog, cat, horse and cow; goats, sheep and pigs less.
- What is done in the CPE surgery and anesthesia sections?
- Surgery is a canine ovariohysterectomy; anesthesia is on a dog.
- CPE passing standard?
- 60 points or more, or a Pass, in each of the 7 sections.
- Which CPE sections are pass/fail?
- Anesthesia and surgery; the others use points.
- What is a fatal flaw in the CPE?
- An action highly likely to seriously injure the patient, the candidate or staff; it can end the exam at once.
- Is a fatal flaw only given with live animals?
- No: it can also come in simulated patients or written parts.
- Standing too close to a horse's hind legs?
- The examiner steps in and may stop the procedure; it costs points and can fail the section.
- An animal left in an inhumane or life-threatening situation?
- If the candidate does not fix it, the examiner helps the animal and the section is failed.
- What does efficiency mean in CPE scoring?
- Timeliness and good use of resources; being too slow costs points.
- Will the CPE examiner remind you of pending tasks?
- No. Each candidate manages their own time and tasks.
- Full CPE fee for 2026?
- US$12,804 (12,604 application + 200 administrative), with a US$1,000 deposit.
- Fail four or more CPE sections?
- Retake the entire CPE.
- Fail one to three CPE sections?
- Two more tries at those sections, applying within 6 months of each failure and taking one of the first retakes offered.
- How are CPE results reported?
- Pass or fail only, by email and ECFVG Online, within 20 business days.
- CPE extended score report?
- Request it within 14 days; it lists the areas scored below 60 % or fail.
- Vaccine strongly encouraged before the CPE?
- Rabies.
- Who cannot take the CPE at a given site?
- Its graduates, people who trained clinically there, and its current or former employees.
- US sites that give the CPE?
- Mississippi State University CVM (Starkville) and Viticus Group (Las Vegas).
Official sources
AVMA ECFVG and Canadian National Examining Board
Manual of Administration for the Clinical Proficiency Examination, 2025 Edition
American Veterinary Medical Association, ECFVG
ECFVG Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE) Candidate Bulletin
Making Synapses is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by the AVMA, the ECFVG, the AAVSB, the ICVA, the Canadian National Examining Board or any state board. ECFVG, CPE, BCSE, PAVE and NAVLE are trademarks of their respective owners and are named only to describe the exams.