APHIS Unveils New Accreditation Program

The National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP) is undergoing some changes, which will affect most veterinarians in terms of the continuing education (CE) they must earn and how their accreditation is renewed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published the new NVAP requirements Dec. 9, and says the new rules "will strengthen animal health safeguarding activities and increase the training and skills of accredited veterinarians in disease prevention and preparedness for animal health emergencies."

The new program creates two accreditation categories based on whether a veterinarian will practice on large animals or companion animals, according to APHIS, and includes separate CE requirements for each category. No renewals were required under the previous NVAP rules.

Participations in NVAP is not federally mandated, but APHIS says more than 80 percent of all U.S. veterinarians are accredited.

To read more about the new program, go to www.aphis.usda.gov/nvap.

Reprinted in part from veterinarynews.com