Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 46 - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS
Part LXXXV - Veterinarians
Chapter 7 - Veterinary Practice
Section LXXXV-714 - Student/Shelters and Faculty Veterinarian

A. A person who is a regular student in an accredited veterinary school who is performing duties or actions assigned by his instructors as part of his curriculum under the direct supervision of a faculty veterinarian who is licensed by the board; however, the student's role shall be limited to assisting the licensed faculty veterinarian in a support capacity during assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and surgery in the shelters pre-approved by the board on shelter animals only. For example, observation of procedures and services by the student and the performance of menial support tasks to assist the licensed faculty veterinarian are legally permissible. However, the licensed faculty veterinarian must be the primary veterinarian, or surgeon of record, in all situations. To allow the student to perform beyond the support capacity as defined in this rule would, in effect, permit the student to enter into the realm of veterinary practice without first having to meet the requirements necessary to have a license as established by the Louisiana Veterinary Practice Act and the Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine rules.

B. Direct supervision is defined as "continuous, visual, and on-site supervision" which shall only be performed by a faculty veterinarian licensed by, and accountable to, the Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine as per its regulatory authority. Accordingly, the licensed faculty veterinarian and the program shall comply with all requirements established by the Veterinary Practice Act and the board's rules regarding the practice of veterinary medicine including, but not limited to, such practice standards as a proper surgical facility, record keeping, aftercare, prescriptions, drug/device maintenance, etc. The faculty veterinarian as a licensed veterinarian shall be ultimately responsible, and accountable to the board, for the duties, actions, or work performed by the student; however, at no time shall the student's role extend beyond assisting the licensed faculty veterinarian in a support capacity during assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and surgery in the shelters pre-approved by the board on shelter animals only.

C. The tasks assigned to a student is at the discretion of the supervising faculty veterinarian licensed by the board who shall be ultimately responsible and held accountable by the board for the duties, actions, or work performed by the student, however, at no time shall the student's role extend beyond assisting the licensed faculty veterinarian in a support capacity during assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and surgery. In addition, the tasks assigned to the student shall encompass the care, treatment, and/or surgery of one shelter animal at a time at a shelter pre-approved by the board. Again, the licensed faculty veterinarian must be the primary veterinarian, or surgeon of record, in each individual situation.

D. Prior to commencement of a student's participation in a program, the supervising faculty veterinarian licensed by the board must first notify the board of such on board approved forms.

E. A student shall not be permitted to perform supervision of any nature, as defined in §700 and 702, of the tasks or procedures performed by other personnel of the shelter at issue.

F. A student extern who is working during a school vacation for a licensed veterinarian shall be under continuous, visual, and on-site supervision of a veterinarian licensed by the board. The supervising veterinarian shall be ultimately responsible and held accountable by the board for the duties, actions, or work performed by such person; however, at no time shall the student's role extend beyond observing the supervising veterinarian in a support capacity during assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and surgery. The student extern shall not perform supervision of any nature, as defined in §700 and §702, of the tasks or procedures performed by other personnel of the facility at issue.