Introduction
Recording of Continuing Veterinary Education (CVE)/Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

by Queensland Registered Veterinarians

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A new provision of the recently introduced Queensland Veterinary Surgeons Regulation 2002 (Section 26) is that veterinarians must now keep a formal record of all continuing education they undertake.  The record must be kept in an approved form and for three (3) years from the day the continuing education is undertaken.

Guidelines for the recording of CVE/CPD by all veterinarians in Australia and New Zealand were adopted at the 2003 meeting of the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council and will be adopted uniformly in all registration jurisdictions.  The recording system has been operating in Victoria and New Zealand for several years.  The replacement of the previously expired Queensland regulations gave the Queensland Board the opportunity to include the requirement for keeping CVE/CPD records in legislation.  Other jurisdictions will follow suit as the legislative opportunity arises.

CVE/CPD units recorded while practising in one jurisdiction will be transportable to any other Australasian jurisdiction where the veterinarian practises.

Please note that for the immediate future the undertaking of CVE/CPD is not a prerequisite for annual renewal of registration as a veterinarian.  Similarly it is not a prerequisite for those veterinarians re-entering the profession after a lengthy absence, although the Board will be seeking a review of that situation as soon as the opportunity arises.

The need for CVE/CPD

CVE/CPD is the personal obligation of all responsible veterinarians and should be seen as the continuous progression of capability and competence.  Undertaking CVE/CPD helps the individual to keep up to date with the continual changes and developments in knowledge, skills and operating environments.

Individuals are expected to review their CVE/CPD needs regularly, and plan ahead so that they can make the most of development opportunities as they arise.  Many veterinarians choose to attend external courses to keep themselves up to date, but participating in more informal networks and in-house training is also of great value.  The opportunities offered by working on new projects, or through involvement in research should also be recognised as adding to professional development.

CVE/CPD is an important asset not only in maintaining competence but also in assisting veterinarians who are re-entering the workforce after a period of absence or are changing disciplines within the profession.  It is particularly essential for maintaining specialty competence.

Keeping a CVE/CPD record can help the individual to focus attention on their own learning needs, and can help to provide reassurance to the animal owning public that their practitioner of choice takes seriously the need to maintain professional competence.

General requirements

The essence of the recording requirements is simplicity and individual responsibility.

The combined veterinary boards do not at present accredit any CVE/CPD courses, conferences or journals.  The recording guidelines are based on time spent and require CVE/CPD to be recorded progressively in units and maintained in a dedicated easily readable format for a period of not less than three (3) years.

In any complaint enquiry where the Board must assess the professional competence of a veterinarian, the veterinarian concerned will be required to produce his/her record of CVE/CPD undertaken.  The person will be expected to address any view held by the Board that the failure to maintain the required level of CVE/CPD was a contributing factor to the outcome of the case in question.

CVE/CPD that is relevant and of benefit to any aspect of the veterinarian’s professional life may be considered as appropriate and recordable under the guidelines.

The Board reserves the right in future years to incorporate a CVE/CPD unit tally section on the yearly registration form for the veterinarian to record the number of points accrued in the previous year.  This would be an evaluation device for the Board to determine the level of compliance.

Review

The recording guidelines are very much a working document subject to review by the combined boards on an annual basis.  The various forms of CVE/CPD and the units allocated will be subject to continuous review to ensure they are comprehensive and equitable.  To this end the Board will always welcome constructive comments or suggestions that members of the profession wish to raise as to how the recording system can be improved.

Information access

Also see the CVE guidelines and sample CVE/CPD record format.

Comments/suggestions/queries can be forwarded to the Board’s official address or by email to vsbqld@dpi.qld.gov.au.