The College of Veterinary Medicine is in the midst of a curriculum revision effort that includes alignment with AAVMC Competency-Based Veterinary Education (CBVE). Competency-based education in health sciences has gained traction as a means of verifying the abilities of graduates from educational programs. 

This model is a growing trend due to the rapid expansion in scientific knowledge and societal concerns about the high cost of post-secondary education, including graduate and professional training. Programs that follow a competency-based education model are required to create well-defined frameworks that guide the development of curricula and associated assessment programs. These frameworks are then used to document student achievement. 

CVM Dean Dr. Laura Molgaard co-led an international group that worked to define CBVE frameworks for the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. Specifically, CBVE prepares DVM graduates for their future careers by providing experience-based education that meets societal and patient care needs. 

CBVE provides for a governed progression of competence. The curriculum is learner-centered and integrates assessments that promote learning and allow the student to demonstrate achievement. The end goal of the CBVE framework concerns two important questions: 

• Does the trainee or professional have the requisite competencies and attitude to carry out the task that is demanded of them? 
• Can the instructor trust that the trainee can complete the task without supervision? 

Programs that follow a CBVE framework may require instructors and students to step away from more familiar models of learning. Students must demonstrate achievement, learn to accept feedback, act on that feedback, and try again if necessary. This type of learning environment requires students to have a growth mindset, which is the belief that anyone can be successful with effort (see research by Carol Dweck). A growth mindset is the opposite of a fixed mindset, which is understood as the belief that people are born with a certain amount of intelligence or talent and that no amount of work will change that. 

Surveys of students at CVM have demonstrated that most have either a strong growth mindset or a growth mindset with some fixed attributes, which makes CVM students well-positioned to take advantage of a competency-based program.

The revision at CVM will roll out in Fall 2027. 

If you are interested in learning more about CBVE, visit CBVE.org.

Debra Freedman, PhD, is the assistant dean of pre-clinical sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine.