According to the AVMA, a board-certified veterinary specialist is "a veterinarian who has completed additional training in a specific area of veterinary medicine and has passed an examination that evaluates their knowledge and skills in that specialty area." , the AVMA recorded 16,291 total active board-certified specialists. , the AVMA recognizes 46 distinct veterinary specialties from 22 veterinary specialty organizations, including the
American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia,
American College of Animal Welfare,
American College of Veterinary Surgeons, and
American College of Zoological Medicine. ==European Board of Veterinary Specialization==