Virginia Administrative Code › Title 18 - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING › Agency 150 - BOARD OF VETERINARY MEDICINE › Chapter 20 - REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE › Part I - General Provisions › Section 18VAC150-20-70 - Licensure renewal requirements

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A.
				  Every person licensed by the board shall, by January 1 of every year, submit to
				  the board a completed renewal application and pay to the board a renewal fee as
				  prescribed in
				  18VAC150-20-100. Failure to renew
				  shall cause the license to lapse and become invalid, and practice with a lapsed
				  license may subject the licensee to disciplinary action by the board. Failure
				  to receive a renewal notice does not relieve the licensee of his responsibility
				  to renew and maintain a current license.
B. Veterinarians shall be required to have
				  completed a minimum of 15 hours, and veterinary technicians shall be required
				  to have completed a minimum of eight hours, of approved continuing education
				  for each annual renewal of licensure. Continuing education credits or hours may
				  not be transferred or credited to another year.
1. Approved continuing education credit shall
				  be given for courses or programs related to the treatment and care of patients
				  and shall be clinical courses in veterinary medicine or veterinary technology
				  or courses that enhance patient safety, such as medical recordkeeping or
				  compliance with requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety
				  Administration (OSHA).
2. An
				  approved continuing education course or program shall be sponsored by one of
				  the following:
a. The AVMA or its constituent
				  and component/branch associations, specialty organizations, and board certified
				  specialists in good standing within their specialty board;
b. Colleges of veterinary medicine approved
				  by the AVMA Council on Education;
c. International, national, or regional
				  conferences of veterinary medicine;
d. Academies or species-specific interest
				  groups of veterinary medicine;
e.
				  State associations of veterinary technicians;
f. North American Veterinary Technicians
				  Association;
g. Community colleges
				  with an approved program in veterinary technology;
h. State or federal government
				  agencies;
i. American Animal
				  Hospital Association (AAHA) or its constituent and component/branch
				  associations;
j. Journals or
				  veterinary information networks recognized by the board as providing education
				  in veterinary medicine or veterinary technology; or
k. An organization or entity approved by the
				  Registry of Approved Continuing Education of the AAVSB.
3. A licensee is exempt from completing
				  continuing education requirements and considered in compliance on the first
				  renewal date following his initial licensure by examination.
4. The board may grant an exemption for all
				  or part of the continuing education requirements due to circumstances beyond
				  the control of the licensee, such as temporary disability, mandatory military
				  service, or officially declared disasters.
5. The board may grant an extension for good
				  cause of up to one year for the completion of continuing education requirements
				  upon written request from the licensee prior to the renewal date. Such an
				  extension shall not relieve the licensee of the continuing education
				  requirement.
6. Licensees are
				  required to attest to compliance with continuing education requirements on
				  their annual license renewal and are required to maintain original documents
				  verifying the date and subject of the program or course, the number of
				  continuing education hours or credits, and certification from an approved
				  sponsor. Original documents must be maintained for a period of two years
				  following renewal. The board shall periodically conduct a random audit to
				  determine compliance. Practitioners selected for the audit shall provide all
				  supporting documentation within 14 days of receiving notification of the audit
				  unless an extension is granted by the board.
7. Continuing education hours required by
				  disciplinary order shall not be used to satisfy renewal requirements.
8. Up to two hours of the 15 hours required
				  for annual renewal of a veterinarian license and up to one hour of the eight
				  hours required for annual renewal of a veterinary technician license may be
				  satisfied through delivery of veterinary services, without compensation, to
				  low-income individuals receiving health services through a local health
				  department or a free clinic organized in whole or primarily for the delivery of
				  those services. One hour of continuing education may be credited for three
				  hours of providing such volunteer services, as documented by the health
				  department or free clinic.
9.
				  Falsifying the attestation of compliance with continuing education on a renewal
				  form or failure to comply with continuing education requirements may subject a
				  licensee to disciplinary action by the board, consistent with §
											54.1-3807 of the Code of
				  Virginia.