Practice for the AAVSB Qualifying Science Examination, built on the outline that applies from the January 2027 exam.
The Qualifying Science Examination is run by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) for every candidate in PAVE, the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence. PAVE is one of the two routes, alongside the AVMA's ECFVG, that graduates of non-accredited veterinary schools use to qualify for licensure in the United States and Canada. The QSE tests the foundational science and pre-clinical knowledge covered in the first three years of an accredited veterinary curriculum. In PAVE it comes after your application and before the Evaluated Clinical Experience.
Fees, dates and rules change; always confirm the current details with the AAVSB.
New to the outline? Our free QSE study guides cover every domain and subcategory.
The AAVSB replaced the six-domain outline after the September 2026 exam. Our QSE bank follows the new one: every question is filed under its domain and subcategory, and mock exams draw questions in these proportions.
Anatomy, behaviour and husbandry, immunology and vaccines, infectious agents, physiology and nutrition, and the principles of pathology, imaging, pharmacology and surgery.
Disease by body system, including pathology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention: alimentary and dental, cardiovascular and respiratory, endocrine, haemopoietic and immune, integumentary, musculoskeletal, nervous system and special species, reproductive and urinary, and multi-system disease.
Professional skills (animal welfare, ethics, communication, medical records, wellness) and public health, epidemiology and regulatory medicine.
