Continuing Education

Veterinarian Requirements

Each licenseholder, except as otherwise provided, shall be required to receive twenty-four hours of veterinary continuing education, approved by the board, in the twenty-four months preceding each even-year renewal date. Veterinary continuing education is defined as an educational program which will enhance the licenseholder’s professional ability to serve the public and which has the prior approval of the board.

Renewals are mailed annually but CE is only certified biennially.

Education Program Requirement Waiver

The Board shall have the authority to waive the continuing education requirement for an individual, for any of the following reasons:

1. Impaired health.
2. For persons who have reached the age of sixty-five and are no longer actively engaged in practice and have so indicated on their license renewal form. The license of such a person will be placed on inactive status and the veterinarian may not practice veterinary medicine in North Dakota until all required continuing education is obtained.
3. For other good and sufficient reasons as presented and verified to the Board at one of its regular meetings.

Contact the board for further information.

Educational Program Requirements

Veterinary continuing education may consist of the following:

1. Eight hours of in-house training including veterinary medical tapes, films, computer based programs and self assessment tests relevant to the practice of veterinary medicine.
2. Programs sponsored by local, state, regional, or national associations and other continuing education programs or training approved by the North Dakota Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. The board accepts programs approved by the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).
3. Wet labs or instructions, or both, taken at a college or university, the subject material of which must pertain to veterinary medicine.
4. Up to eight hours of veterinary continuing education may relate to practice management. Programs designed to enhance the veterinarian’s ability to earn money, invest money, or relating to personal financial planning are not acceptable for meeting the continuing education requirement.
5. Programs presented by pharmaceutical companies and other commercial groups may be approved, as long as they consist of objective presentations of scientific information, and are not designed principally to sell products to the veterinarian or the animal owner.
6. Eight hours of participation in a clinical setting at another veterinary practice and completion of the written report required by the board’s veterinary exchange program.

Proof of attendance and verification will be necessary upon request. Verification may include a printed program, certificate, brochure, handout, or syllabus that lists the topics presented, the persons doing the instruction and their qualifications, and the time for each presentation.

Notice of Failure to Comply

If a license holder fails to receive the amount of continuing education necessary, a written notice must be sent and a six month grace period will be allowed to make up the requirement. If, after six months, the requirements have not been met, the license will be revoked, suspended, or placed on a probationary status.

Veterinary Technician Requirements

Each veterinary technician, except as otherwise provided, shall receive eight hours of veterinary continuing education, approved by the board, in the twenty-four months preceding each even-year renewal date.

Veterinary technician continuing education is defined as an educational program that will enhance the license holder’s professional ability to serve the public and which has prior approval of the board. No more than two hours may be from in-house training.

Renewals are mailed annually but CE is only certified biennially.

Proof of attendance and verification will be necessary upon request. Verification may include a printed program, certificate, brochure, handout, or syllabus that lists the topics presented, the persons doing the instruction and their qualifications, and the time for each presentation.

Notice of Failure to Comply

If a license holder fails to receive that amount of continuing education necessary, a written notice must be sent and a six-month grace period will be allowed to make up the requirement. If, after six months, the requirements have not been met, the license will expire.