The Toughest Board Exam in the History of the Philippines?
Dr. Geoff Carullo, DVM, FPCCP, DPCVSCA
- GPH Vet Business
- 3 min read
In the world of professional board exams, the spotlight is often on the bar, the CPALE, or the physician boards.
But in an unexpected twist, the Veterinary Licensure Exam (VLE) has quietly taken the crown as the most difficult licensure exam in the Philippines—based on actual passing rates.
In October 2023, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) reported that only 92 out of 985 examinees passed the VLE. That’s a 9.36% passing rate—one of the lowest ever recorded among all professional board exams in recent years.
To put that into perspective:
These numbers show that even the famously rigorous Bar and CPA exams had passing rates nearly 5 to 6 times higher than the VLE.
Several reasons contribute to the VLE’s staggering difficulty:
Despite being under the radar in terms of media coverage and public discussion, the veterinary licensure exam has earned its reputation as a silent giant of academic and professional difficulty.
While lawyers, doctors, and accountants receive the limelight for their hard-earned titles, perhaps it’s time to give due credit to the veterinarians who face an even steeper uphill battle—often with less recognition.
If you’re thinking of becoming a veterinarian in the Philippines, be prepared. You’re not just choosing a noble profession—you’re signing up for arguably the toughest licensure challenge in the country.
9.36%. That number should give everyone a deeper respect for the letters DVM.
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
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