Use of the term "specialist" is defined by the American Veterinary Medical Association.   Section III. e. and f. under The Principles with Supporting Annotations" of the Principals of Veterinary Medical Ethics of the AVMA state:  "Veterinarians should use only the title of the professional degree that was awarded by the school of veterinary medicine where the degree was earned. All veterinarians may use the courtesy titles Doctor or Veterinarian.  It is unethical for veterinarians to identify themselves as members of an AVMA-recognized specialty organization if such certification has not been awarded and maintained. Only those veterinarians who have been certified by an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organization should refer to themselves as specialists."

I am not aware of any veterinarian using this title except those defined above and those in corporate owned veterinary hospitals, many of which are not board certified.  I believe the title is a marketing tool used by these corporations to distinguish their veterinarians as "special" compared to other veterinarians, whether their "specialists" are board certified or not. Currently, the public has difficulty understanding the difference between a veterinarian and a board certified veterinarian.  A third title used in the Commonwealth of Virginia creates more confusion and the majority of clients will not appreciate the difference between a "specialist" and a board certified veterinarian.  A veterinarian's biography on a clinic's website is the appropriate place explaining any advanced training or special interests in a particular field of medicine a veterinarian may have.

Who in the Commonwealth of Virginia determines whether a veterinarian may use the term "specialist" and what rules, procedures and examinations are currently in place to ensure the title is used appropriately? Board certified human physicians rarely use extra letters behind their names identifying them as a diplomat and usually place only "MD" after their names.  The use of the title "specialist" other than an AVMA board certified veterinarian is unethical and an extraneous title which means nothing.?