The State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (Board) requires every applicant for licensure to complete this Orientation prior to issuance of a license to practice veterinary medicine. Once an applicant has met the requirements of N.J.A.C. 13:44-1.1, the Board will inform the applicant that he or she is eligible to take the orientation. Upon completion of this orientation, and all other requirements, the Board will issue a license to the applicant.

The material presented provides an overview of some of the laws and regulations relevant to the practice of veterinary medicine in New Jersey. There are links provided so you may read the laws and regulations. When you click on a link, do not close this window. Simply click on the link and then close the link's window when you have finished viewing it. Many statues and regulations that are relevant to veterinary medicine in New Jersey are also listed on the Board's website.

The questions are based on specific statutes and regulations relevant to the practice of veterinary medicine in New Jersey. Statutes, or laws, are designated by N.J.S.A., which stands for "New Jersey Statutes Annotated." Regulations, or rules, are designated by N.J.A.C., which stands for "New Jersey Administrative Code." Regulations supplement the statutes, providing clarifications as to statutory requirements or covering topics that are not specifically addressed by statute.

The following questions address some of the statutes and regulations with which potential licensed veterinarians should be familiar before obtaining licensure. These are not necessarily the only New Jersey statutes and regulations that may apply to the practice of veterinary medicine, but address issues which the Board believes are most relevant to the majority of veterinarians practicing in New Jersey. The questions do not address Federal statutes or regulations with which veterinarians may need to comply.

Board Responsibilities:

The paramount responsibility of the Board is the protection of the public's health, safety, and welfare. The Board meets its responsibility by licensing veterinarians, adopting regulations, determining standards of practice, investigating allegations of veterinarian misconduct, and disciplining those who do not adhere to requirements - thereby assuring the public that veterinarians are qualified, competent, and honest.

Board Meetings:

The Board has monthly meetings, which are scheduled a year in advance, with the dates posted on its Web site, www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/vetmed

Board meetings are held in two parts. One is open to the public, and includes: non-disciplinary sessions (open minutes, policy, legislation, information, public comment), and disciplinary actions (formal hearings).

Closed sessions, attended by Board members only, are held when matters need to be discussed privately, such as closed disciplinary actions.

Licensure:

Licenses are renewed every two years, on odd years. It is very important that you notify the Board office when you change your mailing address as renewal notifications are not forwarded by the Post Office. The notification will give you information about renewing your license on line, paying with a credit card, or the process to follow if you would rather renew with a paper form. The notification is mailed 3-4 months before your license expires. You may renew for thirty days after your license expires and pay a "late" fee of $100. Thirty one days after your license expires it will be automatically placed in suspended status without further notice to you. If you don't intend to practice in New Jersey, you should renew your license as
"inactive."

Licensed veterinarians are required to complete 20 credit hours of continuing education every biennial renewal period. If you have obtained your initial license during the second year of a biennial renewal period, you will need to complete only 10 credit hours in order to renew your license.

Waivers of continuing education requirements may be granted for hardship reasons, and require supporting documentation. You must apply for a waiver within 90 days of the end of the renewal cycle. If a waiver is granted, it applies only to the renewal cycle for which it was granted; you must reapply each cycle.

Activities Which Will Generate A Request to Attend A Board Meeting

Licensees are required to cooperate in Board investigations and to obey Board orders. The following are examples of situations which may be deemed professional misconduct and provide grounds for discipline:

• Failure to timely respond;
• Failure to answer questions;
• Failure to provide information or documents;
• Failure to attend proceedings; or
• Failure to provide access to premises.

• Inspection of premise from which a practice is conducted;
• Review of records, books or documents prepared or maintained in the course of practice;
• Review of goods or items used to practice;
• Issuance of administrative subpoenas to compel attendance at investigative hearings or production of records;
• Demands for statements in writing under oath as to facts and circumstances concerning rendering of professional services;
• Impoundment of evidence pursuant to a court order; and
• Compelling skills assessment to determine if licensees can practice with reasonable skill and safety.

The following are examples of grounds for discipline of licensees:

• Obtaining a license through fraud, deception, or misrepresentation;
• Failure to notify the Board of an action against your license in another state;
• Omission of a criminal conviction on an application form;
• Use or employment of dishonesty, fraud, deception, misrepresentation, false promise or false pretense;
• Gross negligence, gross malpractice or gross incompetence which damaged or endangered the life, health, welfare, safety or property of another person;
• Repeated acts of simple negligence, malpractice, or incompetence;
• Alteration of medical records, including late additions without proper identification and dating;
• Professional or occupational misconduct as may be determined by the Board;
• Conviction of, or engaging in, acts constituting crimes of moral turpitude or crimes relating adversely to the practice of veterinary medicine;
• Disciplinary action against a license issued by another state, agency or authority;
• Failure to comply with any act or regulation administered by the board;
• Incapability of discharging the functions of a licensee consistent with the public health, safety or welfare;
• Violation of the Insurance Fraud Prevention Act as found in a civil or administrative proceeding;
• Presently engaged in drug or alcohol use likely to impair the ability to practice with reasonable skill and safety. (Presently means "at this time" or any time within the previous 365 days);
• Indiscriminate prescribing or dispensing of controlled dangerous substances;
• Aiding, abetting or permitting unlicensed practice; and
• Fraudulent advertising.

A licensed veterinarian is required to report a colleague who demonstrates an impairment or activities of a colleague that pose a clear and imminent danger to public health and welfare (N.J.S.A. 45:1-37). Examples of the type of misconduct which you are required to report are gross negligence, indiscriminate prescribing, and actions which pose an imminent danger to the public health safety and welfare.

The Complaint And Discipline Process

The Board receives numerous complaints per month from sources like: consumers, other governmental agencies, law enforcement agencies, court officials, and insurance fraud investigators.

Each and every one is investigated. The nature of the allegations dictates the type and the depth of the investigation.

In most cases the Board asks for the licensed veterinarian's response to the complaint to be considered in the investigation. Please provide a timely response - your reply and explanation must reach the Board office within 21 days. Failure to respond in a timely fashion may result in you being directed to appear before the Board for failure to cooperate.

When the Board determines that a complaint has merit, the formal discipline process begins. New Jersey's Attorney General is the sole legal representative of the Board, and the Attorney General's Office prosecutes formal complaints against licensees, and those found to be practicing veterinary medicine while unlicensed. Licensed veterinarians have a right to counsel at disciplinary proceedings before the Board. When a matter is heard, an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) issues an initial decision which is reviewed by the Board. The Board can either adopt, reject or modify the findings of fact and conclusion of law, and the penalties recommended by the ALJ. The final decision is made by the Board. Licensed veterinarians have the right to appeal a final decision of the Board to the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court.

Additionally, the Board has the authority to take the interim measure of temporarily suspending a license if there is a palpable demonstration of imminent danger to the public. When a license is revoked or suspended, or clinical practice is barred by another state or licensing authority, and the Board finds that either the continued practice endangers or poses a risk to public health and safety, or gross or repeated negligence, fraud or professional misconduct adversely affecting public health and safety is involved, the Board is authorized to impose an immediate suspension.

Possible disciplinary sanctions and other dispositions of formal complaints may include:

• Revocation of license;
• Suspension of license;
• Reprimand;
• Probation, limitations on license;
• Penalties;
• Costs of investigation and prosecution;
• Remedial education and/or supervision; or
• Community service and other measures

Under N.J.S.A. 45:1-25, licensed veterinarians may be assessed monetary penalties of up to $10,000, for the first violation, and up to $20,000, for the second and subsequent violations.

In the event that the Board finds no basis for formal disciplinary action, a private resolution of a complaint may include a letter of admonishment or a private letter agreement.

Medications

Prescriptions must be on New Jersey Prescription Blanks (NJPBs) and include full identification of the practitioner. Prescription blanks must be sequentially numbered. For Schedule II controlled dangerous substances (CDS), the number of doses indicated by written word must be followed by the written numeral. Each CDS must be written on a separate NJPB.