Certification - Examination Dates
2009 CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION INFORMATION
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF LABORATORY ANIMAL MEDICINE- The 2009 examination will be held on Sunday, June 28, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Bethesda, MD. Applications and information can be obtained on the ACLAM website-www.aclam.org. There are now two application dates available. Early applications are due Aug. 15, 2008 and the final date for applications is Dec. 15, 2008. For additional information please contact the Executive Director, Dr. Melvin Balk, 96 Chester St. Chester, NH 03036-USA, TEL- 603-887-2467, FAX 603- 887-0096. E-mail-mwbaclam@gsinet.net.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING 2008 EXAM
Please note this change in format from previous exams
This year practical images will NOT be projected onto a screen at the front of the examination room. All images will be reproduced and included in each candidate's exam booklet. This will now allow candidates to answer questions at their own rate and return to specific questions as needed. This will also alleviate concerns regarding optimal seating to view images.
See the How to Apply page for complete instructions.
Questions on the Written and Practical exam are balanced to the ACLAM Role Delineation Document. This means that 18% of the total exam questions relate to Task 1 knowledge (Prevent, Diagnose, Control, and Treat Disease), 12% to Task 2 (Prevent, Alleviate, and Minimize Pain and Distress) and so on.
The written exam will consist of approximately 240 multiple choice questions.
The practical exam will consist of approximately 135 multiple choice questions. This year practical images will NOT be projected onto a screen at the front of the examination room. All images will be reproduced and included in each candidate's exam booklet. This will now allow candidates to answer questions at their own rate and return to specific questions as needed. This will also alleviate concerns regarding optimal seating to view images.
Roughly 66% of the questions on the exam are derived from the ACLAM test data base. This allows for 33% of the questions as new. Often these new questions are drawn from current literature and recent publications. Additionally, new questions may also be added from standard laboratory animal resources (i.e. textbooks and regulations).
Prior to 2005, exams were considerably longer with a higher percentage of new questions. The current exam format of less questions and therefore less new questions may have given the impression that current literature was not important or necessary to review. This is not true. Questions are still generated from current literature but we attempt to focus all questions to the important topics of laboratory animal medicine as highlighted in the ACLAM Role Delineation Document.
Cut off date for new information for the current years exam is December 31 of the previous year.
The Examination Committee revises the examinations each year. Completed written and practical sections are evaluated separately. A candidate must pass both sections to be considered for membership by the Board of Directors of the College.
If a candidate fails either part of the examination, he/she is permitted to repeat that part two more times within 26 months of the examination for which he/she is qualified. If the candidate is unable to pass both parts of the examination in the three attempts permitted during this time, and desires to retake the examinations, he/she may be required to show evidence of additional training and/or experience before being permitted to re-apply for examination.
NOTE: Beginning in 2010, there will be one single examination rather than two separate examinations. A proportion (approximately 25-40%) of the questions on the examination will involve images (such as photos, charts or tables) which will be printed in the examination booklet. All questions will be multiple-choice format. Candidates will be required to pass this combined examination, even if they have previously passed only one of them in 2009 or 2008.
Additional details on credentials requirements, the examination procedure, and applications for the examination may be obtained from the Executive Director.
ACLAM Executive Director
Dr. Melvin W. Balk
96 Chester Street
Chester, NH 03036
Phone: (603) 887-2467
E-Mail: mwbaclam@gsinet.net
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