Regulation
Regulation Veterinary medicine is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Direction Générale de l’Enseignement et de la Recherche (DGER) based in Paris.
- Only veterinarians that are registered with the Ordre des Vétérinaires are granted a license to practice as a veterinarian in France, after registration of the individual's veterinary diploma.
- In addition to the national chamber, there are several regional veterinary chambers in France.
Veterinary Specialist Recognition
France has a National Council of Veterinary Specialization (CNSV)
- The CNSV is a governmental body that includes representatives from the veterinary associations and the veterinary specialists union, academics from the veterinary schools and governmental officers.
- EBVS® Colleges have now superseded the National specialist training programmes in France.
- The Ordre des Vétérinaires lists holders of the now superseded French specialist Diplomas (DESV).
- The training programmes for National specialists were very similar to those that have been established by EBVS Colleges at European Qualifications Framework level 8.
Advanced Veterinary Practitioners
- France is currently establishing a “middle tier” qualification, between basic clinical level and specialist level.
- Advanced Practitioners are not allowed to call themselves specialists.
- The procedure for middle tier qualifications is not yet established for all species. For some species (e.g. equine) the validation of acquired experience (VAE) system under academic supervision has been adopted.
- This aims to ensure that practitioners have sufficient general knowledge and experience in equine clinical sciences to be examined
Continuing education of veterinary general practitioners
- Compulsory continuing education requirements are in place for all veterinary surgeons, as mandated by the Ministry of Agriculture and the “Ordre des Vétérinaires”.
- The records of attendance to continuing education sessions delivered by Professional Organizations or Veterinary Schools are kept at practitioner level.
- As it is compulsory, continuing education does not lead to the use of any qualification in France.
Veterinary education
- There are four veterinary schools in France that offer a full veterinary curriculum leading to a veterinary qualification.
- The Veterinary School VetAgro Sup/Lyon was founded by King Louis the XVth in 1761 and was the first veterinary school in the world.
- Six years later, in 1767, King Louis the XVth also founded the Veterinary School of Paris/Maisons-Alfort.
- The Veterinary School of Toulouse INP-ENVT/Toulouse was founded in 1828.
- The Veterinary School of Nantes ONIRIS/Nantes was founded in 1979.
- All four veterinary schools have been approved by the European Association of Establishments of Veterinary Education (EAEVE); VetAgro Sup/Lyon has also been approved by the Council of Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
- Veterinary qualifications in France all include a mandatory thesis, which has to be completed during the calendar year following graduation as a veterinarian.
Membership Organisations
There are several species-oriented membership organisations for veterinarians in France:
- Association Française des Vétérinaires pour Animaux de Compagnie (AFVAC) for companion animals practitioners,
- Association Vétérinaire Equine Française (AVEF) for equine practitioners, - Société Nationale des Groupements Techniques Vétérinaires (SNGTV) for livestock practitioners.
- There is also a membership organisation for veterinary specialists based in France (SFVMCE).
- The membership organisations do not have any regulatory function.
