As a veterinarian or a vet tech you know how difficult it can be to find the time to get in your required continuing education hours per year. Taking an in-person training means a day or more when you are short staffed at the clinic or office and, in a sole practitioner office, it means a day where the office is closed. If you can relate to this situation then you need to consider using technology to allow you to complete your requirements for continuing education for veterinarians or vet techs.
If you have a smartphone and have an internet connection then you can use this to listen to podcasts or take in webinars to complete some or all of your requirements for continuing education for veterinarians. It really depends on what your state licensing board and RACE, the Registry of Approved Continuing Education, allows when it comes to what is considered passive or what is considered to be active continuing education for veterinarians.
State by State
Since continuing education for veterinarians is determined state by state it is important to check in with your licensing board to determine what they will allow in webinar and podcast training. Generally most boards that recognize AAVSB (American Association of Veterinary State Boards) RACE will have a list of approved providers for RACE, so this is an easy verification to do online or with a quick phone call.
The Technology Advantage with Continuing Education for Veterinarians
Listening to podcasts, which are designed to be very short, highly informative mini-lectures by experts in different specializations in veterinary medicine allows you to complete some or all of your mandatory training at your convenience. You can listen in your vehicle, in the comfort of your own home, or even when you have a few minutes to just sit back and relax.
As you log into a website to listen to the podcasts or take part in the webinars and you also complete a short quiz after, there is a record of the time that you have spent on your continuing education for veterinarians. This is converted into certifications that can be presented as proof of participation, ensuring that you are in full compliance no matter how busy your schedule may be.
