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CE Requirements

CE Requirements:

Continuing education is not only an important part of your lifelong learning but also a requirement for licensure. Keeping track of your documentation is a key part of the licensure requirement.

CE Required for License Renewal:

California law requires veterinarians to earn a minimum of 36 hours of approved continuing education as a condition of license renewal. The continuing education credits must be earned in the two years preceding license renewal. 

Continuing Education Credit:

Qualifying CE must meet the following criteria:

  • Qualifying courses must be relevant to veterinary medicine.
  • Earn one hour of CE credit for each hour of a qualifying course.
  • One credit hour consists of a minimum of 50 minutes of education.
  • A half hour credit consists of 25–49 minutes of education after the initial 50 minutes.
  • A qualifying course must be at least 50 minutes in length.
  • One academic quarter unit at a college or university is equivalent to 10 CE credit hours.
  • One academic semester unit at a college or university is equivalent to 15 CE credit hours.
  • An instructor of a qualifying course may claim CE credit hours for the course one time per renewal period.
  • Expert examiner workshop participants for the California or national licensing exam can earn one CE credit for each hour up to a maximum of 16 hours.

License Renewal Requirements:

Of the 36 hours of required CE:

  • Up to six hours may be of self-study.
  • Up to 24 hours may be of business practice management or stress seminars.
  • All 36 hours may be science or medicine-based.

Judicious Use of Medically Important Antimicrobial Drugs CE Requirement:

California veterinarians must complete a minimum of one hour on the judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs every four years as a condition of license renewal. The CVMB has published an implementation timetable for licensees to follow based on their license renewal period. Visit www.vmb.ca.gov for more information.

Approved CE Providers:

The veterinarian is responsible for assuring that CE courses are offered by approved providers prior to attending the sessions. CE providers must be approved in California statute or regulation or have RACE approval from the America Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) at aavsb.org.

More information on mandatory CE, frequently asked questions, and CE laws is available on the Veterinary Medical Board website. Select the Licensee tab then click on Continuing Education.

CE Recordkeeping:

The CVMA suggests two things to help maintain an accurate record of your CE:

  • Create a folder or other storage place to keep CE Certificates of Attendance for courses that you attend.
  • Enter your CE attendance history in your personal record on the CVMA website. CVMA-sponsored conferences and seminars as well as some local VMA CE are automatically entered for you. You may print out your recorded information from the website.

CE providers must provide a Certificate of Attendance which contains the following: provider’s identity, date, presentation topic/course title, speaker, number of CE units earned, and the maximum number of CE units available. The provider’s CE director (or equivalent) must sign the certificate. All licensees are required to maintain a record of their CE activities for at least four years.

Each year, the CVMB will audit approximately 10 percent of renewal applications for compliance with CE requirements. In the event you are audited, you will be required to provide documentation (CE Certificate of Attendance) as proof that you completed the required 36 hours of CE. You should provide copies of your certificates and maintain the originals.

NOTE: THE CVMB WILL NOT ACCEPT YOUR ATTENDANCE HISTORY ENTERED IN YOUR PERSONAL RECORD ON THE CVMA WEBSITE AS PROOF OF ATTENDANCE.

Additional Information:

If you have any questions about CE-related issues, please call the CVMA office at 800.655.2862 or email staff@cvma.net.

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