Aquatic Veterinary Education Programs

WAVMA is dedicated to providing Continuing Education & Professional Development (CEPD) and Life-Long Learning opportunities in aquatic veterinary medicine for its members and others.

WAVMA Cert-AqVP Program (anticipated to be implemented early in 2012)

WAVMA is developing a member-only program to credential and certify members having knowledge, skills and education (KSEs) in the follwing areas, as Certified Aquatic Veterinary Practitioners.  Members that successfully complete knowledge and skills assessments (KSA) in these core areas will be entitled to identify themselves as "Cert-AqVP."

Individuals will need to demonstrate a basic understanding of, and competency in the following subject areas that are unique to aquatic veterinary medicine and aquatic animals (primarily aquatic mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and finfish, crustacean and molluscs), including:

1. Anatomy and physiology unique to aquatic animals.
2. Environmental evaluation (water quality) that affect the health of aquatic animals.
3. Industry structure and function, including commercial aquaculture (farmed seafood and ornamental fisheries), natural resource (wild) aquaculture, and ornamental (pet) and public aquaria.
4. Pathobiology and epidemiology of important aquatic animal diseases.
5. Veterinary clinical diagnostic techniques and technologies for assessing important aquatic animal diseases.
6. The availability and appropriate use of therapeutic and biologic agents (drugs, vaccines and bacterins) for preventing, controlling and treating important aquatic animal diseases.
7. Public health, zoonotic diseases and seafood safety aspects relevant to aquatic veterinary medicine.
8. International, federal, state/provincial and local legislation, regulations and standards affecting the practice of aquatic veterinary medicine.

When the Program is fully implemented the WAVMA Credentialling Committee will provide examples of educational opportunities (courses, seminars, workshops, etc) suitable to obtain these KSE.

Participants will need to register for the Program and provide evidence of sufficient knowledge, or have satisfactorily completed a KSA, for each of these core subject areas.

WAVMA Aquatic Vet WebCEPD (under development)

WAVMA is in the process of developing webinars (online lectures) of key topics of interest to members and others.

Other Aquatic Veterinary Education Programs

Veterinary School Programs (under development)

The following are programs run by veterinary school:

AQUAMED (Gulf States Consortium of Colleges of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University, Mississippi State University, Louisiana State University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Florida offers a four-week aquatic animal pathobiology course, every other year in even-numbered years.)

AQUAVET I & II (University of Pennsylvania & Cornell University offer three week summer courses, usually held in Woods Hole, MA each year covering many aspects of general aquatic animal biology & pathobiology)

Non-Veterinary University Programs (under development)

Listing of courses of possible interest to aquatic veterinarians

Non-Veterinary Organization's Meetings (under development)

Listing of meetings of possible interest to aquatic veterinarians

To publicise your program or meetings here please email WebAdmin