Continuing Education
The Continuing Education requirement in Louisiana was established with the goal of ensuring that the public receive the best possible care from the veterinary community. The Board attempts to achieve this goal by requiring those persons who are LICENSED TO PRACTICE VETERINARY MEDICINE in Louisiana to remain current in subjects related to the practice of the profession.
If your license/registration/certification was issued prior to May 1st, 2024, you are still required to fulfill all CE hours by June 30th, 2024 in order to renew your license starting July 1st.
The Board reverted back to its regular rules in April ’22 and in so doing, a maximum of ten (10) hours of credit may be obtained online (which includes interactive Zoom-style meetings). Please visit the appropriate instructions below for more details.
Continuing Education Policies for DVMs
Continuing Education Policies for RVTs
Continuing Education Policies for CAETs
The LA Veterinary Practice Act defines interactive webinars as online CE hours, NOT live CE hours. The Board continues to receive questions from practitioners concerning the type of continuing education hours required for the annual renewal of licenses – specifically whether interactive, live presentations online may be substituted for the physical presence requirements for attendance at seminars, lectures, conferences, or workshops. Further guidance has been requested concerning the definition of “online instruction” which is limited to 10 hours per fiscal year. These issues are particularly relevant given the unusual circumstances presented by social distancing constraints made necessary by the COVID-19 emergency. The Board is governed in this regard by the provisions of the Louisiana Administrative Code(LAC title 46 part LXXXV) and in particular Chapter 4, sections 400 and 403 (A) (2) and (3). The LAC addresses continuing education instruction in terms of subject matter, accreditation, and the means of delivery of instruction (medium).
Subject matter content is governed by Section 403 (A)(3): “3. The 20-hour requirement for annual renewal of a license may be taken in any combination of the following board-approved programs regarding subject matter content: clinical, alternative, regulatory, practice management, and/or research…”.
Accreditation is addressed by Section 400 and 403 (A)(1): “1. A. A continuing education program accepted by another state’s regulatory board of veterinary medicine, a governmental entity, and/or AAVSB, as well as those programs sponsored by AVMA-accredited schools of veterinary medicine and/or any professional associations recognized by the board…(and)…other programs…submitted to the board for pre-approval…”.
The medium of delivery of instruction has specific provisions beyond content and accreditation. “Contact participation” is defined in section 400 as “physical attendance at seminars, lectures, conferences, or workshops”. The units of continuing education by contact participation are not limited by the LA Veterinary Practice Act; however, a minimum of 50% of the required CE must be completed through contact (physical) participation. Credit for online hours (which includes interactive webinars) will be limited to 50% towards the total number of required hours.
Accordingly, the LA Practice Act distinguishes between “physical attendance” instruction and all other types, including interactive, live instruction participation online, the latter being subject to the 10 hour maximum per fiscal year.