Continuing Education Requirements for Veterinarians in Jamaica
1) Effective January 01, 2015 The Jamaica Veterinary Board (JVB) will require ALL veterinarians (see exemptions and special considerations below) intending to practice in Jamaica to have acquired 10 Continuing Veterinary Medical Education Credits (CVMEC) in the 12 months preceding the annual licensing period for which licensure is requested. Eight CVMEC must be earned in disciplines directly concerning veterinary medicine/profession ( i.e. “specific”), while the other two (2) CVMEC could be in related but not necessarily veterinary areas ( i.e. “non-specific”) (for e.g. medical ethics). Note that all 10 CVMEC earned can in disciplines which are “specific.”
- 2. EXEMPTIONS and SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
On-line and journal articles: CVMEC will not be made to account for more than four CVMEC (specific or non-specific) of the 10 CVMEC required annually..
Veterinary Faculty Lecturers: They will automatically qualify for the two hours of non-specific courses. They will be required to submit letters from the relevant institution indicating that they are employed to the institution (part time or full time) and indicating the courses that they teach.
These individuals will still be required to complete 8 “specific” CVMEC for License Certification.
Specialists: (Board-certified etc) veterinarians would be expected to receive and demonstrate no less than 5 hours of CVME units annually, in their field of speciality.
Publications: Two hours of “non-specific” veterinary medical credits will be assigned for research papers and publications in peer-reviewed professional Journals. This may be research done for either private interest or on behalf of an organization. All written material must adhere to standard scientific format for evaluation.
Presenters at Workshops/Seminars Consideration should be given to recognition, but will be considered on individual merit. Factors such as forum of presentation, and content of presentation will be required for deliberation.
New Graduates: Veterinarians shall not require CVME credits during the year of graduation from veterinary school and subsequent first full licensing period. The CVME requirements will be necessary commencing the second full licensing period after graduation. (e.g. a June 2014 graduate will not need 10 CVMEC to get ALC for 2015 but will need to earn 10 CVMEC between Jan 01 2015 and Dec 31 2015 in order to qualify for ALC in 2016)
New registrants who have graduated in excess of 2 years shall not require CE credit in the year of registration but shall be required to attain requisite CVME credits to facilitate licensing in the first full licensing period after the date of registration.
Post Graduate students: Individuals engaged in post graduate studies on a full time basis (which can be shown to enhance the performance of their professional skills or the efficiency of their duties) will be exempt for the period of study. On completion of their studies they will be exempt for the year of graduation and the first full licensing period thereafter.
Individuals who are engaged in part time basis post graduate studies will be exempt based on the following criteria:
- Post graduate education in any branch of Veterinary Medicine or a residency or internship, will be completely exempt during the period of study. On completion of their studies they will be exempt for the year of graduation and the first full licensing period thereafter
- For educational courses that are not specific to veterinary medicine, the individual will have to complete 8 hours of specific units to maintain their licensure during the course of study. On completion of their studies they will be exempt for the year of graduation.
For all of the above, the individual will be required to submit proof that they are engaged in post graduate studies.
Non-Practitioners Members of the Profession who are Registered Veterinarians but are not in veterinary practice, full or part-time, will not need an Annual License Certificate and therefore may be exempted from submitting CVME credits, at the discretion of the JVB.
- 3. All veterinarians intending to practice in Jamaica shall submit to the Continuing Education Accreditation Committee (CEAC) of the JVB, between Oct 15 and Nov 15 of each year, documentary evidence of CVMEC (e.g. “Records of Participation”, “Certificates of Attendance”, hereafter referred to as CE certificates) earned. Only original or notarized copies of CE certificates will be accepted by the CEAC.
- 4. All documents should be submitted to the CEAC via :
- 1) The Chairman, CEAC , c/o Jamaica Veterinary Board, Veterinary Services Division, P.O. Box 309, Hope Gardens, Kingston 6, or
- jvbceac@gmail.com
The above information was provided by the Continuing Education Accreditation Committee (CEAC) in 2014.
For further information please contact the CEAC via the e-mail address listed above.
