Acceptable CE programs must have clearly identified learning objectives linked to the CVPM Practice Analysis Outline. Credit will not be given for courses relating primarily to veterinary medicine or for product and/or service presentations provided by vendor representatives.
A minimum of 24 CE hours (50%) must be from acceptable live, face-to-face (in-person) events. No more than 10 CE hours (20%) can come from instruction and/or writing.
One full CE credit is awarded for 50-60 minutes of actual instruction. Half of a CE credit will be awarded for 25-30 minutes of actual instruction. No credit will be awarded for less than 25 minutes of instruction.
All continuing education must be documented to be accepted. A certificate of attendance, certificate of completion, or transcript are acceptable as proof of continuing education.
When renewing for the first time, certificants may apply CE earned after the date of their certification even if it falls before the renewal cycle starts.
Excess hours (those over forty-eight (48)) do not carry over from any given renewal period into the next renewal period.
All documentation of CE should be held by the certificant to be sent with the completed renewal form and fee when renewal becomes due.
The CVPM program subscribes to the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) definitions and standards for educational programs and credentials. By subscribing to industry standards, the CVPM program seeks to provide clarity and consistency for the purposes of evaluating a CE program’s benefits to potential or current CVPM credential holders. The CVPM Board will apply the following definitions to assess the validity of claims made by the CE Program. Programs that are presented or marketed in a way that is not consistent with this standard will not be applicable to the CE requirements of the CVPM program.
Certificate Program
An assessment-based certificate program is a relatively short, non-degree granting program that provides instruction and training to aid participants in acquiring knowledge/skills/competencies and designates those participants who have passed an end-of-program assessment derived from learning/course objectives. Although assessment is an integral part of the certificate program, the program's primary purpose is to provide instruction and training with intended learning outcomes.
Certification Program
Certification is a voluntary process by which individuals are assessed against predetermined standards for knowledge/skills/competencies and granted a time-limited credential, which requires ongoing recertification (renewal requirements) to ensure certificant maintenance or improvement of competencies (and, therefore can be revoked). The primary purpose of certification is assessment, and the assessment process is independent of a specific course of study or any education/course/curriculum provider.
The CVPM Board will be the final judge of which courses or seminars are acceptable and the number of hours that can be credited for each course.
Acceptable professional development activities include:
- Live, face-to-face classes (in-person), conferences, meetings, seminars, and symposiums.
- Live Webinars/Webcasts/Videoconferences/Podcasts (i.e., facilitated via Zoom or another virtual technology).
- Workshops, panel discussions, and roundtable discussions sponsored by an acceptable CE provider in a formalized setting. CVPM question writing sessions sponsored by the CVPM Board are applicable.
- College or university courses taken for academic credit at an accredited academic institution. 1 credit/semester hour earns 6 CE hours.
- Self-paced study (asynchronous learning) which includes an interactive component such as quizzes, post-tests, or other learning assessment exercises or activities by which participants apply and demonstrate comprehension of the covered content areas. (i.e., on demand)
- E-Learning (synchronous learning) which includes real-time components/interactive sessions, as well as quizzes, post-tests, or other learning assessment exercises or activities by which participants apply and demonstrate comprehension of the covered content areas. (i.e., online, virtual, distance learning)
- Instruction – 1.5 hours of CE will be accepted for every hour of presentation time for each course/workshop that is instructed. Credit is accepted only once per program/topic.
- Writing –1 hour of CE will be accepted for each published article (published in an industry professional journal, magazine, and newsletter), chapter or book. Credit is accepted only once per article/topic. Articles must have a minimum of 500 words.
- CVPM Test Question Development –1 hour of CE will be accepted for every five new test question items submitted. Each test question item must be complete, following the instructions provided for submission.