TITLE 16             OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING

CHAPTER 25     VETERINARY MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS

PART 4                 CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS -VETERINARIANS

 

16.25.4.1               ISSUING AGENCY:  New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine

[16.25.4.1 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.1 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

16.25.4.2               SCOPE:  Applies to all veterinarians licensed to practice in the [State] state of New Mexico.

[16.25.4.2 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.2 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

16.25.4.3               STATUTORY AUTHORITY:  NMSA 1978, Sections 61-14-5(F) and (I) and 61-14-12.

[16.25.4.3 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.3 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

16.25.4.4               DURATION:  Permanent.

[16.25.4.4 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.4 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

16.25.4.5               EFFECTIVE DATE:  01-17-2014 unless a later date is cited at the end of a section.

[16.25.4.5 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.5 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

16.25.4.6               OBJECTIVE:  To establish requirements for continuing education (CE) necessary for veterinary license annual renewal.

[16.25.4.6 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.6 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

16.25.4.7               DEFINITIONS:  [RESERVED]

[16.25.4.7 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.7 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

16.25.4.8               GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

                A.            Each veterinarian licensed to practice in New Mexico must obtain, each year of licensure, a total of 15 instructional hours derived from seminars, short courses, or scientific programs approved by the registry of approved CE (RACE), AVMA, or by the board; or sponsored by a veterinary medical association, organization, or university.

                    (1)     In general, CE must be in the form of contact hours.  Credit for non-contact forms of instruction, including online training or articles in printed professional periodicals, is accepted.  Non-contact hours may comprise no more than half of the annual requirement of 15 CE hours.

                    (2)     Instruction in aspects of facility management, records management or the complaint process may count for credit.  These hours may comprise no more than five CE credit hours per year.

                    (3)     Instruction in alternative, non-western medicine must be specifically applicable to veterinary medicine and approved by RACE, AVMA, or sponsored by a veterinary organization or university, or by the board.  CE credit cannot exceed 75% or 11.25 of the 15.00 instructional hours required annually.

                B.            There are no exceptions for age, retirees or other non-practicing veterinarians who want to maintain their New Mexico license.  Pursuant to NMSA 1978, Section 61-14-12(E) the board may provide a waiver of the CE requirement to a licensed veterinarian during any period when he is on active duty with any branch of the armed services of the United States or for the duration of a national emergency.

                C.            CE hours are accumulated on an annual basis for the 12 months preceding individual veterinarian's license expiration date.

                D.            A new licensee must comply with the continuing education requirement beginning the next full licensing year after the licensee receives his initial New Mexico license.

                E.            A maximum of 15 credit hours may be accrued as excess and carried forward to the next licensing year.

                F.             The month before a veterinarian's annual license renewal is due, a license renewal form will be provided on which the veterinarian must record the CE taken during the previous licensing year.

                G.            The burden of proving the validity of the reported CE hours lies solely with the licensed veterinarian reporting.  The board may conduct audits on CE reporting; photocopies of seminar registrations or completion certificates shall be submitted by the licensee upon request.

                H.            Beginning with the effective date of this part, each licensee should retain proof of his CE completion for a minimum of four years.

[16.25.4.8 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.8 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

16.25.4.9               CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUESTS:  A licensee in doubt about whether a particular course, class, or seminar will be approved for credit may submit to the board, in writing, a course description with course outline and the number of contact hours.  The approval request form is available at the board’s web site or by calling the board office.  The board will make a determination at its next meeting.

[16.25.4.9 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.9 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

16.25.4.10             CONTINUING EDUCATION EXTENSIONS:

                A.            The board may grant an extension of time to complete the annual CE requirement for a given licensing year upon licensee’s written request.

                    (1)     A licensee who is granted a CE extension must obtain the CE hours lacking within six months following the licensee’s birth month to avoid being placed on suspended status.  During the suspension period, the licensee may not lawfully practice veterinary medicine in New Mexico.

                    (2)     A licensee may be granted only two consecutive CE extensions i.e. for two separate licensing years and a maximum of four extensions during his entire career practicing veterinary medicine in New Mexico.

                B.            The board does not automatically grant requests for CE extensions.

                    (1)     The licensee's request must be in the form of a letter stating the reason the required CE cannot be completed for the year.

                    (2)     A licensee's first request for a CE extension may be approved administratively by the executive director, assuming the licensee is in good standing with the board.

                    (3)     All CE extension requests are presented at the next board meeting for the board’s determination. CE extension requests approved by the executive director, as described in (2) above, are presented for board confirmation at the next board meeting.

                    (4)     Should a licensee fail to meet the CE requirement when applying for license renewal and does not request an extension, his name shall be presented at the next board meeting for the board’s determination of possible disciplinary action.

                C.            In cases of extreme hardship involving physical health or family crisis concerns, special consideration for CE may be granted by the board on the merits of the individual case.

[16.25.4.10 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.4.10 NMAC, 01-17-2014]

 

HISTORY OF 16.25.4 NMAC:

Pre-NMAC History:  The material in this part was derived from that previously filed with the State Records Center:

BVE 78-1, Pertaining to Continuing Education Requirements for Relicensure, filed 1-20-78.

BVE 79-3, Rules Governing Continuing Education Requirements for Veterinary Relicensure, filed 9-21-79.

BVE 88-3, Rules Governing Continuing Education Requirements for Veterinary Relicensure, filed 10-14-88.

BVE 92-3, Rules Governing Continuing Education Requirements for Veterinary Relicensure, filed 5-22-92.

BVE 93-3, Rules Governing Continuing Education Requirements for Veterinary Relicensure, filed 6-3-93.

 

History of the Repealed Material:

16 NMAC 25.4, Continued Education Requirements, filed 5-17-96 - Repealed effective 9-1-00.

16.25.4 NMAC, Continuing Education Requirements for Veterinarians, filed 8-2-00 - Repealed effective 01-17-14.