Certification- Overview

The American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) undertook an intensive review of its examination program in 2006. As a result of this process, there are two changes to the examination process:

  1. The first is to more closely align the examination to the Role Delineation Document (RDD). [100KB PDF] The RDD best describes the proficiency required by an ACLAM Diplomate, and the certification examination will now closely mirror the tasks and species in this document.
  2. The second change will be to adopt a peer-reviewed criterion referenced passing standard for the examination. The purpose of this change is to assure that successful candidates possess the knowledge necessary for entry level members of our specialty. There is no change in ACLAM’s recommendations for test preparation.

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.