The Epidemiology and Biostatistics section of the multiple choice exam includes questions that are drawn from 13 subcategories (listed within the Model Curriculum):

1. Concepts of Epidemiology
2. Causality
3. Measuring Disease Frequency 
4. Measures of Association
5. Data Organization and Presentation
6. Epidemiologic Study Designs 
7. Risk Analysis/Assessment 
8. Bias
9. Evaluation and use of Diagnostic Tests
10. Questionnaire Design and Appropriate Applications
11. Epidemiologic Surveillance 
12. Outbreak Investigation 
13. Other Applications of Epidemiology 

Epidemiology is the basic science with tools to support decision making processes in veterinary public health and preventive medicine. It deals with the investigation of diseases, production losses, and health issues in animal and human populations. Essential activities within epidemiology encompass the broad areas of study design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Biostatistical methods and techniques are relied upon to objectively determine which factors are associated with specific outcomes.

Preventive medicine professionals and other practitioners must be able to integrate and synthesize information obtained from epidemiological findings with their knowledge from other basic and clinical sciences to design effective disease control and health maintenance programs. This includes the ability to plan surveillance or research activities and to evaluate the results.

Additionally, the ACVPM Exam will require biostatistical knowledge that is essential for a diplomate to operate within the preventative veterinary medicine fields. Candidates will need to demonstrate the ability to use and interpret basic biostatistics used epidemiologic studies and investigations. More specific examples of hypothesis tests and statistical techniques are listed within the Model Curriculum. General biostatistics books will provide the underlying knowledge but may need to be supplemented with an analytic epidemiology text.

Primary References

Supplementary References

Food science in the ‘Farm to Fork” spectrum is essential for a diplomate to operate within the preventive veterinary medicine fields. The Food Safety section includes nine subcategories (listed within Model Curriculum):

1. Agents and sources of foodborne illness (including microbiological, virology, chemical, toxicological, and radiological)
2. Preharvest
3. Postharvest and Processing
4. Detection methods and analytics
5. Food Defense
6. Food Security (as it relates to Food Safety)
7. Product safety and consumer exposures
8. Outbreaks, epidemiology and surveillance
9. Policy and regulation guidance, controls, and compliance
10. Current Topics (e.g. biotechnology, nanotechnology, antimicrobial resistance, global health).

Primary References

Websites provide key references materials and current topics:

• US Department of Agriculture (USDA), including:

  • Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

  • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

• US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) including:

  • Food Protection topics

  • Pasteurized Milk Ordinance

  • Food Code

  • Bad Bug Book

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) including:

  • Food protection topics

  • MMWR

  • PulseNet

  • FoodNet 

• World Health Organization (WHO)

• FoodSafety.gov

• American Veterinary Medical Association, concentrating on current topics and articles related to Food Protection 

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

• Review food science basics in a food science text and current focus areas and hot topics in journals such as the Journal of Food Protection and above cited references, No specific text is required. 

• Review basics on foodborne outbreak investigations and calculations in an appropriate food science or epidemiology textbook. No specific text required. 

The Infectious Diseases section includes 12 subcategories:

1. Immunology and Pathogenesis
2. Transmission
3. Pharmaceuticals
4. Biologics
5. Diagnostics and Chemicals
6. Bacterial, Viral, Rickerrsial, Parasitic, TSE, and Mycotic Agents
7. Foreign Animal Diseases
8. General

Primary References

• References for animal health regulatory functions (animal disease programs, regulatory animal health, biotechnology regulations, emergency response)
  • APHIS 
• Reference website for bovine brucellosis:
  • USDA APHIS: National Brucellosis Eradication Program 
• Bovine tuberculosis regulatory information:
  • USDA APHIS: National Tuberculosis Eradication Program 
• International Disease Standards (OIE)
• Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals 
• NASPHV Compendia and Recommendations
• Merck Veterinary Manual online
• ISU Veterinary Diagnostic and production animal medicine: Disease Topics
• AVMA Knowledge base 
• AVMA Hot Issues 
• Veterinary Accreditation Training Modules on foreign animal diseases, role of agencies, aquatic animal diseases, antibiotic use, etc.
• CDC Animal Parasites
• CDC Zoonotic Disease Library 

Supplementary References

The Public Health Administration and Education section includes nine subcategories:

1. Risk Assessment
2. Communications (including Risk Communication
3. Governmental Function
4. Governmental Organization
5. Laws, Policies and Plans
6. Leadership
7. Prevention
8. Surveillance/Monitoring
9. Evaluation

Primary References

Websites

• CDC Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Manual
• CDC Introduction to Public Health, PH 101 Series
• CDC’s MMWR Weekly
• CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases
• CDC zoonotic disease library
• AVMA Policy Statements and Guidelines
  • Information on government agencies and their specific branches/offices that utilize veterinarians; and, references to other resources, including specialty groups
• NASPHV Compendia
• Public Health Law Program 
• Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
• Department of Homeland Security
• National Association of County and City Health Officials
• American Public Health Association
• Public Health Accreditation Board website 
• The Center for Food Security and Public Health, Iowa State University, Animal Diseases
  that impact human health

Supplementary References

This guide contains the list of books and journals recommended as study materials for the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (ACVPM) examination.

Residents are responsible for ensuring they are using the correct edition of a book for their exam.

Please ask your librarian, mentor, or specialty board examination committee if questions arise.

"[This] list of study references is NOT a definitive, exhaustive list for preparing for the ACVPM examinations. A listed reference may be applicable to more than one category. Use this list as a guide, in as much as it represents a compromise between brevity and completeness. You are encouraged to read as much additional material as possible. Reading the current scientific and professional literature (e.g. JAVMA, MMWR, Lancet, NEJM, Science, Journal of Food Protection, etc.) is also necessary to properly prepare for the examinations."

Source: American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine Study References.

This resource updated: 6/01/2023

Source reading list updated by specialty board: January 2023