The VEA (previously known as the Qualifying Examination) is a 240-item exam covering foundational basic sciences — anatomy (22%), physiology (23%), pharmacology (14%), microbiology (20%), and pathology (21%) — typically given mid-curriculum rather than at graduation. It's designed for veterinary schools to benchmark their students' grasp of the basics and track trends against peer institutions. Research has found the VEA to be the strongest available predictor of a student's eventual NAVLE performance, so many schools use it partly as an early-warning tool for at-risk students.