The Certificate

1. Admission to this programme is restricted to qualified veterinarians only

2. The purpose of these standards is to create specialised homeopathic veterinarians who are competent to treat their patients effectively, by applying the law of similars.

3. The minimum requirements of a homeopathic teaching programme involve the following topics:

a) An understanding and knowledge of the basic principles of classical veterinary homeopathy, and how to apply the same in the clinical situation.
b) A knowledge of clinical semiology as it is conceived in veterinary homeopathic practice and  an ability to recognise the signs and symptoms that are useful in prescribing.
c) A knowledge of homeopathic materia medica, especially veterinary homeopathic materia medica; for  each remedy, the therapeutic indications, keynotes, and peculiarities. 
d) A knowledge of the repertory and its application in case analysis

Study of theory

The objectives of the study and the teaching of veterinary homeopathic theory include:

1. Therapy according to the law of similars.

2. The concept of individualisation, perception and evaluation of the ‘Totality of Symptoms’ i.e

• The knowledge and skill necessary to collect a complete symptom picture;
• The understanding that the proper application of the principle of the ‘Totality of Symptoms’ demands the inclusion of the past medical history of the patient; 
• The knowledge and skill to assess the symptoms and modalities and to apply the principle of hierarchy to them.

3. The search for the most suitable medicine in accordance with the veterinary homeopathic remedy picture, basing this upon:

• Coarse toxicological signs
• Symptomatology from the remedy proving
• Principles involved in the transfer of symptoms from human materia medica to animals.
• Clinical applications

4. Homeopathic pharmacy:

• The sources and origin of remedies
• The storage and registration
• The procedures for manufacture of mother tinctures, liquid remedies, globules and powders
• The potentising process for D(X),C and LM (Q) potencies

5. Recognition of cellular and subcellular target functions as part of homeopathic efficacy, including relevant biochemical and pharmacological findings

6. The student should acquire an understanding of the basic principles of classical and clinical veterinary homeopathy. This should include a working knowledge of Hahnemann’s Organon, as well as of the leading literature of human and veterinary homoeopathic medicine and should cover:

• The determination of the minimum useful dose and the correct method of administration.
• Possible reactions to a remedy
• When to repeat the dose
• Acute disease
• Chronic disease and an understanding of miasms
• Development of disease and the order of cure (Hering’s Law)
• An understanding of the various types of nosode 
• Prevention of illness
• The provings of remedies
• The approach to be adopted in emergencies and terminal cases
• Palliation and suppression

Study of Materia Medica

The student should have an in-depth knowledge of the major homoeopathic remedies, especially those commonly used in the day-to-day practice of veterinary homeopathy.
The remedies should be studied in a systematic way, including:

• Name and synonyms (usual name, designations and appropriate abbreviations).
• Origin of the remedy (physical, chemical, botanical or zoological origin and possible
• systematic position), composition and active components.
• Toxicology (acute and chronic)
• Non- homeopathic use including herbal medicine or phytotherapy, popular medicine and (if appropriate) conventional medicine 
• Homeopathic function (physiological) of the remedies (including constitutional characteristics and diathesis)
• Aetiology, modalities and periodicity. (aetiology to include clinical and homeopathic causes)
• Modalities, including  temporal, physical, physiological, anatomical, mental. Periodicity, including  periodic and alternating symptoms.
• Veterinary remedy picture, including behaviour, general symptoms, regional symptoms, organ-related symptoms, and local symptoms.
• Proven indications and practical examples.
• Relationships and interactions
• Special remarks. (i.e. central remedy picture, key and guiding symptoms, pharmocodynamic levels, fundamental effect, caricature and characteristic symptoms. If possible these properties should be applied to each of the commonly domesticated species.  
• Case studies (according to animal species, mental or physical signs, or based upon syndrome etc).
• Literature of the remedy.

Each country (national society or teaching organisation) must propose a list of a minimum of one hundred (100) remedies, of which at least thirty (30) must be chosen for complete remedy picture requirements, twenty (respectively 30) for detailed study and fifty (respectively 40) for the proven indications including modalities and clinical appearance. The teaching of materia medica should bring to life the text material.

The objective of practical training is to achieve the following knowledge and skills:

a) Casetaking. Special emphasis should be given to the patient’s history previous to the pathognomic modifications, in addition to the current symptoms.
b) Analysis of the totality of the symptoms, including all relevant diagnostic techniques (clinical examination, x-ray, laboratory tests, ultrasound, etc.)
c) Evaluation and hierarchisation
d) Application of the techniques to find the appropriate medicine in each case (e.g. repertorisation, proven indications, constitutional or aetiological prescribing).
e) Systematic follow-up of the course of the reaction following the administration of the indicated medicine.
f) Reasons for the repetition of the remedy or potency.
g) Reasons for a change of remedy or potency
h) Knowledge of the available literature on homeopathy and the ability to apply it.
i) Understanding how homeopathy relates to and interacts with conventional and other therapeutic techniques.
j) Taking part in a proving is recommended because it enhances the power of observation as much in a veterinarian as in a practitioner of human medicine.

PROCEDURE of IAVH Certificate (CertIAVH)

Important: The Certificate IAVH only expresses that the Candidate has passed a homeopathic education equivalent with the IAVH standards. The Certificate does not state anything about the individual homeopathic quality as therapist!

The ways to get the IAVH Certificate (examples):

1. IAVH Exam: Education conforms with IAVH standards and the responsible teacher is an IAVH accredited teacher and the examination is conducted by an IAVH Examiner.

2. Education is accredited by IAVH: the Exam is automatic and passing the course results in an IAVH certificate.

3. Education conforms with IAVH standards but the responsible teacher is not an IAVH accredited teacher: needs individual oversight* + decision of EDU SC for every single candidate.

4. Education details are not known yet for IAVH: needs individual oversight* for every candidate

*This individual oversight has to be done by the Education Subcommittee (EDU SC) members, who will separately look at the presented material. The EDU SC will then discuss the material and make their decision in an EDU SC meeting. The required material has to be presented in English, as the common language of IAVH and members of EDU SC is English and it is not the task of the SC to translate presented material. Translation can be accomplished by the candidate but has to be free of extra information and presented in the original language and the English version. Material has to be presented in its complete form, not as a link or a file which has to be downloaded or interpreted or selected by the EDU SC.

*Oversight according the IAVH Standards of Certificate

a. Certificate of veterinary license

b. Certificate of homeopathic exam

c. The homeopathic education has to be presented in a table, showing the required fulfillment for each topic: education hours, teachers and content/themes (which have in sum to fulfill all the contents given in the standards of IAVH for the certificate). If additional hours are presented from conferences or meetings, these hours have to complete missing themes as well and not only the number of hours.

d. Minimum hours ** and cases: Hours: 150 hours theory including veterinary materia medica according to the listed remedies in the IAVH standards (see link at bottom of page) and 50 hours practical homeopathy demonstration and training by the teacher. Cases: If the presented education does not contain supervised case presentations, these have to be added to the presentation for Certification.

e. For the IAVH exam, candidates must present a minimum of ten (10) cases in at least two (2) species: Up to seven (7) acute cases (diagnosis, clinical symptoms, remedy decision, follow-up) and three (3) or more chronic cases (anamnesis, diagnosis, homeopathic analysis, repertorisation, remedy decision. Chronic cases should have a minimum of six months of treatment following the initial intake and anamnesis).

For further details on certification requirements, see below.

** Presentations done by the candidate do not count as education hours. Presentations or publication of candidate’s own cases during conferences can be used as case presentations for the certificate if they fulfill the standards.

Regards Stefan Kohlrausch, Coordinator EDU SC

July 31, 2020

IAVH Minimum Standards for the IAVH Certificate in Homeopathy (CertIAVH)

a) A candidate for the IAVH Certificate must have been a member of IAVH for at least 6 months

b) The training programme should be spread over a period of at least three (3) years and should be directed towards a minimum of one hundred and fifty (150) lecture hours plus fifty (50) hours of practical experience in case-taking, including the taking, follow-up, repertorisation, case management and supervision of their own cases. In any of these years there must be a minimum of thirty (30) hours teaching.

c) The teaching should contain theory, materia medica, and practical training. For the latter, clinical demonstrations are especially recommended.

d) Practical apprenticeship periods are also recommended. These can be achieved via supervised practice, observing an experienced homeopathic practitioner, videotape cases, or monitored cases.

e) Applicants for the certificate will be required to present ten (10) cases from at least two (2) species, and at least three (3) of which must be chronic cases and have been under treatment for at least six (6) months.

f) Applicants for the certificate must undergo a test wherein the level of knowledge is judged against this programme’s minimum standards (materia medica, casetaking/anamnesis, remedy response, and other aspects of homeopathic medical theory. For this purpose, an examination will be set. This will be divided into written, oral, and practical parts.

g) Examinations should be regularly supervised by the IAVH, according to scientific and academic standards.

h) To retain the certificate, continuing education is essential. A certificate-holder is required to attend twenty (20) hours of courses in any 2-year period.

i) Courses for the certificate must fulfil the requirements of these Minimum Standards for Veterinary Specialisation.

j) The IAVH will recognise diplomas or certificates from those veterinary homoeopathic schools which practice the Minimum Standards for Veterinary Specialisation as here defined.

k) Courses used for the CertIAVH must be approved by IAVH.

For the list of homeopathic medications (veterinary materia medica) which applicants must know, see the "IX REFERENCES" button, in the Buttons above, or see this link:
https://www.iavh.org/en/for-veterinarians/iavh-certification/#tabs-99

a) A recognised teacher must be member of IAVH and hold the IAVH  Certificate. In addition they must have a minimum of ten (10) years practical experience in classical veterinary homeopathy.
b) The title of Teacher and Examiner is limited to the period of IAVH-membership.
c) It must, however, be possible to participate in a teaching programme as a lecturer before becoming a recognised teacher. For this reason training seminars for teachers are recommended.
d) To maintain recognition, teachers must deliver a minimum of eight (8) hours per year teaching to health professionals, plus a further five (5) hours involvement with courses or conferences.
e) There are more stringent requirements for the selection of examiners.
i) Examinations can only be set and held by recognised teachers who have at least five (5) years experience in teaching veterinary homeopathy.
ii) From those in this category the Education sub-committee will recommend to the Board of the IAVH those individuals who, in the opinion of the sub-committee, are competent to fulfil the role of examiner. The Board’s decision will be final.
iii) Teachers who believe they satisfy the requirements may apply to the Education
sub-committee. Such applications will be considered by the sub-committee in the light of the requirements and of the importance of the work to the IAVH education programme. A recommendation will be made to the Board, with whom rests the final decision.

Honoration of Teachers and Examiners

In order to run the Standards a corps of teachers and examiners is required. For this purpose the IAVH Education sub-committee will have the power to elect personnel of sufficient experience and quality to become recognised teachers, and examiners.Teachers and examiners may be created by one or by a combination of the followingprocedures:

a) Invitation
b) ‘De facto’ recognition
c) Examination

The methods of assessment and any decision based thereon remain the sole responsibility of the Education sub-committee of the IAVH.

The following guidelines for assessment are laid down.

a) Invitation

These veterinarians are invited by the Education sub-committee to accept the title of ‘teachers’ or ‘examiners’, and to accept the associated rights and duties.

• For ‘teachers/ examiners’ the sub-committee will look for:
• Ten (10) years of experience in classical Homeopathy
• Five (5) years teaching experience in veterinary homoeopathy
• A minimum of five (5) publications in recognised journals

b) ‘De facto’ recognition.
Veterinarians who wish to be considered as de facto teachers or examiners may apply for registration by submitting to the Education sub-committee

• A curriculum vitae
  A description of the way in which their expertise was acquired
• A description of the way in which their speciality is currently practiced.
  On the basis of this information the Education sub-committee-invited panel will decide whether to proceed with further consideration of the applicant. It may be that the subcommittee would require such applicants for de facto recognition to be subject to examination.

c) Examination
The applicant’s knowledge in veterinary homoeopathy should approximate to the level which can be acquired from recent relevant textbooks and journals. The applicant will be examined in the following manner:

• Applicants will be requested to submit five (5) essay questions in confidence.
• The Education sub-committee-invited panel may use these questions as such or may edit the text.
• Applicants will submit two (2) questions with the answers. These will be judged by the Education sub-committee-invited panel.
• Each applicant will be requested to answer ten (10) questions, excluding questions that he or she has submitted.
• A mark of 55% will be regarded as sufficient for acceptance.

Practical skills for b and c)
In addition to the above the applicant will be  asked to submit a list of activities that convey the level of his or her professional work. This should be further illustrated by appendices, such as case reports, photographs, radiographs, etc.
The Education subcommittee-invited panel may visit the premises of the applicant to observe procedures and equipment.
In judgement, special attention will be given to:

• The percentage of professional activity that is devoted to veterinary homeopathy
• The procedures used, and in what frequency
• Maintenance of records.

In the case of a negative decision by the Education subcommittee-invited panel, the
applicant may enter an appeal within three (3) months of the mailing of that decision.

In all cases of contention an IAVH Arbitration Committee can be called in to adjudicate.

Basic Teaching Standards of LMHI
Veterinary Specialisation in Europe (Working document of the EAVS, March 1991)
Minimum Standards for Specialisation in Veterinary homeopathy. IAVH 1992/2011

List of remedies for Certificate and education standard

Out of this list have to be chosen for education and certificate:

30 POLYCHRESTS with should be known with their complete remedy pictures
30 important remedies: important symptoms, modalities and characteristics
40 Proven Indications:· indication, complete symptom, modalities (if special: mental state when ill).