The VBMA strives to establish a benchmark of competency to assist animal owners, farmers, and veterinarians in choosing a veterinary herbalist. Our VBMA Herbalist Certification process ensures that professionals meet the highest standards of expertise.

CERTIFICATE TYPES

  • Veterinarians who earn certification from the VBMA proudly carry the title of "Certified Veterinary Herbalist" (CVH).
  • For non-veterinary herbalists, the title of "Certified Veterinary Herbalism Educator" (CVHE) is granted upon meeting our rigorous standards. To sit for the exam, non-veterinary herbalists must be VBMA members for at least 1 year, showcasing their commitment to the field.

REQUIREMENTS

​To obtain certification from the VBMA, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
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  • Successfully pass the comprehensive exam, which consists of 100-200 multiple choice questions, with a minimum grade of 75%. Maximum time allowed for the exam is 3 hours.
  • Submit three publication-quality case reports. Two case reports must be submitted prior to sitting for the exam and the third must be submitted within one year after the exam. We strongly encourage candidates to consider publishing these reports for peer review in the VBMA Journal.
  • Contribute a minimum of 10 test questions that can be utilized in future exams, helping to enrich the knowledge base of our community within 3 years.

These requirements ensure that certified veterinary herbalists possess a thorough understanding of the subject matter and can provide the highest level of care. The VBMA is committed to maintaining a standard of excellence within the field of veterinary herbalism, and we encourage candidates to meet these criteria as they pursue certification.

EXAM LOCATION

The 2025 Exams will be held at the September 6th - 9th AHVMA Conference in West Palm Beach FL, and on December 13th at Herbalist & Alchemist in Washington, NJ.

EXAM GUIDE

Veterinary herbalists are certified as possessing a high level of competence, and should be familiar with the science, traditional use, and energetics of herbs. The herbalist should stay abreast of the accumulating research on herbs, particularly studies in companion and food animals. Modern herbalism is indeed becoming a synthesis of many traditions, and since competent herbalists keep up with the emerging literature, it is expected that there will be some crossover between Western and Chinese herbs in their knowledge. An additional hint to help pass this test is to study where the same or similar plants are used in multiple traditions or systems.

Veterinary herbalists who are certified by VBMA are automatically eligible for consideration as a candidate for diplomate status.

If you're interested in sitting for the exam, we strongly encourage you to download our Herbalist Certification Exam Guide.

EXAM APPLICATION

Our Exam Application is located HERE. The fee to sit for the exam is $300.00. This fee is NOT refundable.

CASE REPORT EXAMPLES

Examples of case reports submitted by those who have attained CVH status and whose certification status is pending are provided for you below. 

CERTIFIED VETERINARIANS (CVH) & VETERINARY HERBALISTS (CVHE):

Susan Wynn (CVH)

Barbara Fougere (CVH)
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Cindy Lankenau (CVH)

VETERINARIANS & VETERINARY HERBALISTS PENDING CERTIFICATION

Those listed below have passed the exam and are pursuing the completion of additional qualifications.
Hue Karreman, DVM

Rona Sherebrin, DVM

Joyce Harman, DVM

Laurie Dohmen, DVM

Kris August, DVM

Emily Yunker, DVM

Elizabeth Shuler, DVM
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Laura Pearson, DVM
​VBMA ENDORSES QUALITY HERBAL PRODUCTS
​VBMA recognizes that the herbal product industry has faced quality control and regulatory challenges, and we recommend supporting those companies attempting to self regulate in a meaningful way. Companies that manufacture herbal products marketed for humans should be members of the American Herbal Products Association, an industry organization which explores issues, interacts with regulators, and establishes policy.  Veterinary product companies should be members of the National Animal Supplement Council, an organization which develops policies and procedures on adverse event reporting and quality control.
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR PET OWNERS
The VBMA does not endorse any products sold on the internet for self prescribing to animals. We believe in the interests of safety that any herb should always be prescribed by a qualified practitioner. There are companies using our name with the suggestion that we endorse their recommendations or products. We specifically DO NOT support any website that unethically sells herbs to the public for non prescribed use in animals.  If you are in any doubt as to the authenticity of a claim made on a website about VBMA, please contact us at [email protected]. You may use the 'find a veterinarian' link on our site menu to find a qualified practitioner near you.
All content © the Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association 2025.
​The VBMA is not affiliated with the American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine (ACVBM).