Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

     Purpose: WAC 246-933-401, 246-933-420, 246-933-440, 246-933-450, 246-933-465 and 246-933-466, the rules expand the methods that veterinarians may use to obtain continuing education but do not increase the existing requirements. The rules allow self-study courses earned electronically, reports on professional journals, or completion of practice management courses. Practice management courses and self-study courses are each limited to ten credits for any three-year reporting period.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 246-933-450; amending WAC 246-933-401, 246-933-420, 246-933-440, and 246-933-460; and new section WAC 246-933-465.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.92.030.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 07-10-122 on May 2, 2007.

     A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Judy Haenke, Program Manager, P.O. Box 47868, Olympia, WA 98504-7868, phone (360) 236-4947, fax (360) 586-4359, e-mail judy.haenke@doh.wa.gov.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 4, Repealed 1.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 1, Amended 4, Repealed 1.

     Date Adopted: September 14, 2007.

Willard B. Nelson, DVM, Chair

Veterinary Board of Governors

OTS-9541.2

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 108B, filed 12/28/90, effective 1/31/91)

WAC 246-933-401   Citation and purpose.   These rules may be cited ((and referred to)) as the "Veterinary continuing education rules." The purpose of these rules is to ((require licensed veterinarians to continue their professional educations as a condition of maintaining a license to practice veterinary medicine in this state)) establish standards of continuing veterinary medical education. The rules provide for qualifying training methods, designating approved continuing veterinary medical education providers and setting minimum continuing veterinary medical education credit requirements.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.92.030. 91-02-060 (Order 108B), recodified as § 246-933-401, filed 12/28/90, effective 1/31/91; Order 233, § 308-154-010, filed 2/16/77.]

[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.280. 98-05-060, § 246-933-420, filed 2/13/98, effective 3/16/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.92.030. 91-24-098 (Order 221B), § 246-933-420, filed 12/4/91, effective 1/4/92; 91-02-060 (Order 108B), recodified as § 246-933-420, filed 12/28/90, effective 1/31/91; Order 233, § 308-154-020, filed 2/16/77.]

     Upon a showing of good cause by a licensee to the board,)) The board may ((exempt such licensee from any, all, or part of the continuing education requirement. Good cause includes, but is not limited to:

     (1) Illness;

     (2) Hardship to practice)) excuse from or grant an extension of continuing veterinary medical education requirements to a licensee due to illness or other extenuating circumstances.

     Licensees seeking an extension must petition the board, in writing, at least forty-five days prior to the end of the reporting period.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.92.030. 91-24-098 (Order 221B), § 246-933-440, filed 12/4/91, effective 1/4/92; 91-02-060 (Order 108B), recodified as § 246-933-440, filed 12/28/90, effective 1/31/91; 80-16-023 (Order PL 358), § 308-154-040, filed 10/29/80; Order 233, § 308-154-040, filed 2/16/77.]

     (10) Other courses as approved by the board.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.92.030. 91-02-060 (Order 108B), recodified as § 246-933-460, filed 12/28/90, effective 1/31/91; Order 233, § 308-154-060, filed 2/16/77.]

     (1) Credit for reports. The board may grant continuing education credit for reports on professional veterinary literature. Licensees must submit requests for credit at least sixty days prior to the end of the reporting period. The request must include a copy of the article, including publication source, date and author. The report must be typewritten and include at least ten descriptive statements about the article.

     (a) Professional literature approved for these reports are peer reviewed veterinary medical journals.

     (b) Each report qualifies for one credit hour. The board may grant a licensee up to five credit hours of continuing veterinary medical education under this subsection if the combined total of ten hours for all types of self-study continuing veterinary medical education is not exceeded.

     (2) Credit for preprogrammed educational materials. The board may grant a licensee continuing veterinary medical education credit for viewing and participating in board-approved formal preprogrammed veterinary educational materials. The preprogrammed materials must be approved by an organization listed in WAC 246-933-460, and must require successful completion of an examination. Preprogrammed educational materials include, but are not limited to:

     (a) Correspondence courses offered through magazines or other sources;

     (b) Cassettes;

     (c) Videotapes;

     (d) CD-ROM;

     (e) Internet.

[]

     The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:

WAC 246-933-450

Qualification of program for continuing education credit.

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office