Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Upon biennial
license renewal, a licensee shall attest that he or she has completed courses
of continuing education of the types and number of credits specified in (b) or
(c) below. Falsification of any information submitted on the renewal
application may require an appearance before the Board and may result in
penalties and/or suspension or revocation of the licensee pursuant to
45:1-21 through
45:1-25.
(b) Each applicant for biennial license
renewal shall complete 20 credit hours of continuing education in the preceding
biennial license period. Of these 20 credit hours:
1. At least 17 shall be in surgery, medicine,
or dentistry;
2. No more than four
shall be in courses related solely to business management; and
3. Commencing with the biennial renewal
period beginning on June 30, 2019, one shall be in topics concerning
prescription opioid drugs, including the risks and signs of opioid abuse,
addiction, and diversion.
(c) An applicant who is licensed in the
second year of a biennial renewal period shall be required to complete 10
credit hours of continuing education in the preceding biennial license
period.
(d) A licensee may obtain
continuing education credit from the following sources with the following
credit hours:
1. Successful completion of
continuing education courses or programs approved by either the New Jersey
Veterinary Medical Association (NJVMA), NJVMA constituent associations or the
American Association of Veterinary State Boards - Registry of Approved
Continuing Education (RACE): one credit hour for each hour of
attendance;
2. Attendance at a
seminar sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) or by
an organization recognized by the AVMA: one credit hour for each hour of the
seminar;
3. Successful completion
of a continuing education course sponsored by a veterinary school approved by
the Council on Education of the AVMA: one credit hour for each hour of the
course;
4. Successful completion of
a course related to the practice of veterinary medicine given by a college or
university: one credit hour for each credit;
5. Completion of a self assessment test from
a peer reviewed journal issued by veterinary school approved by the Council on
Education of the AVMA which distributes a certificate of completion: one credit
hour for each test, up to five credit hours per biennial period;
6. Completion of a Veterinary Information
Network (VIN) course: one credit hour for each course credit;
7. Writing an article in a peer reviewed
professional journal: three credit hours per article, up to three credit hours
per biennial period;
8. Teaching a
new continuing education course or program that is approved pursuant to (d)1
above. "New" means that the licensee has never taught or developed curriculum
for that course or program in any educational setting: one credit hour for each
hour taught up to 10 credit hours per biennial period; and
9. Presenting a new seminar or lecture to
professional peers, provided the seminar or lecture is at least one hour long.
"New" means that the licensee has never presented the seminar or lecture
before: one credit hour for each hour of presentation up to five credit hours
per biennial period.
(e)
The Board shall perform audits on randomly selected licensees to determine
compliance with continuing education requirements.
(f) A licensee shall maintain the following
documentation for a period of four years after completion of the credits and
shall submit such documentation to the Board upon request:
1. For attendance at programs, courses or
seminars: a certificate of completion from the sponsor;
2. For completion of a self assessment test:
a certificate of completion from the veterinary school;
3. For completion of a Veterinary Information
Network (VIN) course: a certificate issued by VIN;
4. For an article: a copy of the
article;
5. For teaching a course
or program: documentation, including a copy of the curriculum, location, date
and time of course, duration of course by hour, and letter from the sponsor
confirming that the licensee developed or taught the course or program;
and
6. For presenting a seminar:
documentation including the location, date and duration of the lecture or
seminar.
(g) The Board
may waive the continuing education requirements of this section on an
individual basis for reasons of hardship, such as severe illness, disability,
or military service.
1. A licensee seeking a
waiver of the continuing education requirements shall apply to the Board in
writing at least 90 days prior to license renewal and set forth in specific
detail the reasons for requesting the waiver. The licensee shall provide the
Board with such supplemental materials as will support the request for
waiver.
2. A waiver of continuing
education requirements granted pursuant to this subsection shall only be
effective for the biennial period in which such waiver is granted. If the
condition(s) which necessitated the waiver persist(s) into the next biennial
period, a licensee shall apply to the Board for approval of such waiver for the
new biennial period.
(h)
The Board may review a licensee's continuing education records at any time in
order to confirm that the licensee is complying with the requirements of this
section.
(i) The Board may direct
or order a licensee to complete continuing education credit hours:
1. As part of a disciplinary or remedial
measure in addition to the required 20 hours of continuing education credit;
or
2. To correct a deficiency in
the licensee's continuing education requirements.
(j) Any continuing education credit hours
completed by the licensee in compliance with an order or directive from the
Board as set forth in (i)1 above shall not be used to satisfy the minimum
continuing education requirements as set forth in this section.
(k) A licensee may obtain up to two
continuing education credit hours per biennial period by providing veterinary
care without charge:
1. To an animal owned by
a person eligible for:
i. The New Jersey
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program authorized by the Food, Conservation
and Energy Act of 2008, Pub.L. 110-246 (
7 U.S.C. §§
2011 et seq.);
ii. The Supplemental Security Income Program
established pursuant to Title XVI of the Social Security Act,
42 U.S.C.
§§
1381 et seq.;
iii. The program for aid to families with
dependent children, pursuant to P.L. 1959, c. 86 (N.J.S.A. 44:10-1 et
seq.);
iv. The program for general
public assistance, pursuant to the provisions of the "General Public Assistance
Law," P.L. 1947, c. 156 (44:8-107 et seq.);
v. The program of medical assistance pursuant
to P.L. 1968, c. 413 (30:4D-1 et
seq.);
vi. The program of
"Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled," established pursuant to
P.L. 1975, c. 194 (30:4D-20 et seq.);
vii. The rental assistance program authorized
pursuant to section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 as added by the
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Pub.L. 93-383 (
42
U.S.C. §
1437(f)
);
viii. The "Lifeline Credit
Program" established pursuant to P.L. 1979, c. 197 (48:2-29.1 5 et seq.); or
ix. The "Tenants' Lifeline Assistance
Program" established pursuant to P.L. 1981, c. 210 (48:2-29.3 0 et seq.);
2. To a feral or stray cat with no
known owner in a shelter or pound licensed by the Department of Health and
Senior Services provided that the shelter or pound attests to the licensee that
the cat being treated is feral or stray with no known owner; or
3. To a cat in a municipally approved managed
cat colony provided the municipality, nonprofit group, or organization managing
the colony attests to the licensee that the cat being treated is feral or stray
with no known owner.
(l) A licensee shall obtain
one continuing education credit hour for every two hours spent providing
volunteer veterinary services pursuant to (k) above.
(m) Continuing education credit hours
obtained pursuant to (k) above shall not count towards any of the 17 credit
hours of continuing education in surgery, medicine or dentistry required by (b)
above.
(n) The Board may deny a
licensee an opportunity to obtain any or all continuing education credit hours
pursuant to (k) above if the Board determines that:
1. The licensee must complete continuing
education credit hours in order to maintain or restore professional competence
pursuant to (i) above; or
2. All
licensees must complete continuing education credit hours in order to address
developments in science or technology.
