Section 31.16. Continuing education provider approval

(a) Subject to § 31.15 (relating to continuing education), the Board will approve without application to the Board and the fee required under § 31.41 (relating to schedule of fees), continuing education courses offered by the following providers so long as the programs increase the skills, knowledge and competency of veterinarians in the practice of the profession:

(1) The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

(2) Approved schools.

(3) Allied organizations of the AVMA.

(4) AVMA-approved major regional veterinary organizations.

(5) Specialty boards of the AVMA.

(6) The Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association and its constituent associations.

(7) Other states’ veterinary medical associations.

(8) Providers listed on the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).

(9) The Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Pennsylvania State University.

(b) Continuing education courses which are offered by providers not covered under subsection (a) shall receive prior approval of the Board. An application for approval of continuing education programs may be obtained from the Administrative Office of the Board by writing or telephoning the State Board of Veterinary Medicine, Post Office Box 2649, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-2649, [phone]. A request for approval shall be filed with the Board at least 60 days prior to the date of the proposed program, and shall be accompanied by the fee required by § 31.41.

(c) Organizations approved under subsections (a) and (b) shall provide certificates of attendance to the veterinarian which includes the name of the provider, the name of the licensee, the title of the course, the date of the course, the number of credit hours and the signature of the person authenticating attendance. If a certificate of attendance covers a program with more than one course, organizations approved under subsections (a) and (b) shall require some method by which attendees verify attendance at individual courses. Organizations approved under subsection (b) shall also provide the Pennsylvania approval number.

(d) Instructors of continuing education programs may include:

(1) Members of the faculties of approved schools of veterinary medicine.

(2) Licensed doctors of veterinary medicine in this Commonwealth or in another state who are not faculty members of the schools covered under paragraph (1) if, by virtue of their professional activities and achievements in a particular field, the doctors are determined by the Board to be qualified to speak on subjects of pertinent value to the profession.

(3) Other lecturers or instructors who are not licensed to practice veterinary medicine, if the Board determines that they are qualified to speak upon a subject which will be of value to the profession.

(e) A resume of the qualifications of instructors of continuing education programs under subsection (d)(2) and (3) shall be included with the application for approval of continuing education programs. This subsection does not apply to providers enumerated under subsection (a).

The provisions of this § 31.16 adopted June 14, 1996, effective June 15, 1996, 26 Pa.B. 2785; amended January 16, 2004, effective January 17, 2004, 34 Pa.B. 388; amended December 9, 2011, effective December 10, 2011, 41 Pa.B. 6676. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (342677) to (342678).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 31.16 amended under sections 5(2), 8, 11, 18 and 27.1 of the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act (63 P. S. § § 485.5(2), 485.8, 485.11, 485.18 and 485.27a).