ICVA Initiates Independent Audit of NAVLE Amid Growing Calls for Transparency and Equity
The North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) is one of the most consequential assessments in the veterinary profession—an exam that stands between students and the clinical careers they have spent years training for. As the cornerstone of veterinary licensure in the United States and Canada, the NAVLE must be rigorous, fair, and trusted by the entire veterinary community.
“When the veterinary community raises its voice, it reflects a shared desire for excellence,” said Dr. Mitsie Varga, President and Co-Founder of Latinx VMA, “A third-party audit affirms that every candidate’s pathway to licensure is grounded in fairness and free from bias.”
This week, the International Council for Veterinary Assessment (ICVA), which develops and administers the NAVLE, announced a significant step toward reinforcing that trust: the organization is initiating an independent third-party audit of the exam.
“Ensuring that all members of the veterinary community feel confident in the exam’s rigor and impartiality is essential,” ICVA shared in its statement. “We remain committed to ensuring veterinary excellence that puts the welfare of animals first and foremost.”
ICVA emphasized that the audit is in its early stages and pledged to provide ongoing updates as the process moves forward.
A Call Amplified: LatinxVMA’s Open Letter
The ICVA’s decision follows a surge of national conversation around NAVLE oversight—most notably an open letter issued last week by the Latinx Veterinary Medical Association (LatinxVMA). In the letter, the organization urged the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Board of Directors to publicly support an independent audit of the NAVLE.
LatinxVMA framed the request not as criticism, but as an opportunity for the profession to strengthen transparency, equity, and confidence in the licensure pathway.
The group pointed to long-standing concerns—some anecdotal, others based on student experiences—related to question clarity, item construction, and the potential for cultural or linguistic bias. While these concerns remain unverified, LatinxVMA argued that their persistence signals a need for closer scrutiny.
For many students from historically underrepresented communities, especially Hispanic and Latinx candidates, the stakes feel even higher. LatinxVMA notes that some examinees report that cultural context, language complexity, or socioeconomic barriers around test preparation may influence performance.
The organization emphasized that the goal is not to cast doubt on the NAVLE’s integrity, but to seek clarity and confirmation from impartial experts.
“An objective evaluation by an independent auditing body is the most reliable way to address these concerns,” the letter states. “Our aim is not to cast doubt on the examination, but to ensure that every future veterinarian, regardless of background, can trust that the licensing pathway is fair, rigorous, and thoroughly evaluated.”
Why an Independent Audit Matters
LatinxVMA is asking for what many other high-stakes professions have already normalized. Medicine and law, for example, routinely pursue external audits of their licensing exams. The U.S. Medical Licensing Examination and several bar exams across the country regularly undergo outside psychometric evaluations to ensure unbiased, evidence-based testing.
Such audits help:
Assess potential cultural, linguistic, or socioeconomic bias
Review psychometric methods and item-writing processes
Evaluate alignment with modern competency-based education
Reinforce fairness, transparency, and public trust
Veterinary medicine, LatinxVMA argues, should meet the same standard.
A Turning Point for the Profession
One of the most striking aspects of LatinxVMA’s letter is its collaborative tone. Rather than positioning the audit as an indictment, the organization invites AVMA leadership to partner in strengthening the licensure process.
A public endorsement from the AVMA, they suggest, would encourage widespread support for a thoughtful, transparent review—one that could reassure students, educators, and employers alike.
Whether the AVMA will formally endorse the audit remains an open question. But ICVA’s announcement marks a meaningful step toward addressing the growing chorus of concern.
The call for an independent review is about far more than a single exam. It reflects a broader movement within veterinary medicine to examine long-standing systems through the lens of equity, inclusion, and modern educational standards.
For the next generation of veterinarians—especially those from communities historically underrepresented in the profession—this conversation is not only timely. It’s essential.
Help Shape the Future of NAVLE
Vet Candy is collecting honest, anonymous feedback from veterinary students and recent graduates about their NAVLE experience. Your insights can help determine whether the exam is fair, accessible, and reflective of real-world veterinary practice.
Your voice matters—and it’s an important part of ensuring that the NAVLE continues to evolve in ways that serve all future veterinarians.
