New Continuing Education (CE) Requirement - Use of Medically Important Antimicrobial Drug:

Beginning on January 1, 2018, in order to renew a veterinarian license, a licensee must complete a minimum of one credit hour of continuing education on the judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs every four years.

"Medically important antimicrobial drug" means an antimicrobial drug listed in Appendix A of the federal Food and Drug Administration's Guidance for Industry #152, including critically important, highly important, and important antimicrobial drugs.

For more information as well as continuing education offered through the California Department of Food and Agriculture, please visit the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Animal Health webpage.

Link to more information on continuing education and the American Association of State Boards Registry of Approved Continuing Education providers.

The requirement for continuing education on medically important antimicrobial drugs can be found in Business and Professions Code section 4846.5, subdivision (k).

  • For licensees renewing in 2020, the one-hour course must be taken within the previous 2018-2020 two-year renewal cycle. The requirement will then follow a four year cycle of every other renewal cycle thereafter (e.g. renewal in 2024, 2028, etc.).
  • For licensees renewing in 2021, the one-hour course must be taken within the previous 2019-2021 two-year renewal cycle. The requirement will then follow a four year cycle of every other renewal cycle thereafter (e.g. renewal in 2025, 2029, etc.).

Note: Even though only one-hour is required once every four years, licensees are not limited to taking only one hour in CE course work regarding medically important antimicrobial drugs. However, the same course may not be repeated within a four year time frame.