(a)Requirements (1)Seventeen (17) [Fifteen (15)] hours of acceptable continuing education shall be required annually for renewal of all types of Texas licenses except as provided in subsection (e) of this section. Licensees who successfully complete the Texas State Board Examination shall be allowed to substitute the examination for the continuing education requirements of their examination period [year]. (A)A licensee shall obtain the required (17) [ fifteen] hours of acceptable continuing education during the calendar year immediately preceding the licensee's application for license renewal. Should a licensee obtain acceptable continuing education hours during the year in excess of the required 17 [15] hours, the licensee may carry over and apply the excess hours to the requirement for the next year. A maximum of 17 [15] hours may be carried over each year. (B)Effective Date. Beginning with the continuing education requirement for license renewal in 2004 [2000], licensees may carry over acceptable continuing education hours pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section. For example, acceptable continuing education hours obtained in 2004 [1999] which are in excess of the 17 [15] hours required for renewal in 2005 [ 2000], may be carried over and applied to the continuing education requirement for renewal in 2006 [2001], subject to the provisions of subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section. (2)Hardship extensions may be granted by appeal to the Executive Director of the Board. The executive director shall only consider requests for a hardship extension from licensees who were prevented from completing the required continuing education hours due to circumstances beyond the licensee's control. Requests for a hardship extension must be received in the Board offices by December 15. Should such extension be granted, thirty-four (34) [thirty (30)] hours of continuing education shall be obtained in the two-year period of time that includes the year of insufficiency and the year of extension. Licensees receiving a hardship extension shall maintain records of the thirty-four (34) [thirty (30)] hours of continuing education obtained and shall file copies of these records with the Board by attaching the records to the license renewal application submitted following the extension year. (b)(No change.) (c)Acceptable Continuing Education. (1)Acceptable continuing education hours shall be hours earned by: (A)attending meetings sponsored or co-sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association ( AVMA), AVMA's affiliated state veterinary medical associations and/or their continuing education organizations, AVMA recognized specialty groups, regional veterinary medical associations, local veterinary medical associations, and veterinary medical colleges ;[. The Executive Director and a licensed veterinarian Board member appointed by the Board President may approve hours earned by alternative methods.] (B)taking correspondence courses; (C)listening to audio tapes or CD's, or viewing video tapes or other devices that transmit a video image, or by participating in other telecommunications discussions; (D)participating in on-line courses and discussions; or (E)any other methods approved by the Executive Director and a veterinarian Board member appointed by the Board President, or approved by the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards. (2)The Board shall accept continuing education hours obtained as a requirement of disciplinary action. (d)Distribution of Continuing Education Hours. (1)Of the required seventeen (17) [ fifteen (15)] hours of continuing education, no more than five (5) hours may be derived from either: (A)[(1)] correspondence courses; or (B)[(2)] practice management courses. [Continuing Education obtained as part of a disciplinary action is acceptable. ] (2)Hours claimed for listening to audio and viewing video devices or participating in telecommunications presentations shall be limited to no more than five (5) hours. (3)Interactive on-line hours that are verifiable may be claimed without limitation up to seven (7) hours. (e) - (f)(No change.)
This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed
by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.
Filed with the Office of
the Secretary of State on March 18, 2002
TRD-200201690 Ron Allen
Executive Director
Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
Proposed date of adoption: June 13, 2002
For further information, please call: (512) 305-7555
|
