Proposed Amendments: N.J.A.C. 13:44-1.1, 1.2 and 1.4

Eligibility for Admission to New Jersey State Jurisprudence Examination; Required Documentation; Admission to New Jersey State Jurisprudence Examination; Licensure by Endorsement

Authorized By: State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, Leslie Aronson, Executive Director.

Authority: N.J.S.A. 45:16-3.

Calendar Reference: See Summary below for explanation of exception to calendar requirement.

Proposal Number: PRN 2010-026.

Submit comments by March 20, 2010 to:
Leslie Aronson, Executive Director
State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
PO Box 45020
Newark , NJ 07101

The agency proposal follows:

Summary

Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:44-1.1, 1.2 and 1.4, an applicant for licensure who did not graduate from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited veterinary school is required to complete a training program administered by the AVMA's Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG). On December 15, 2008, the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (Board) received a request from Richard J. Alampi, Executive Director of the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association, that the Board recognize the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education equivalence (PAVE) of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) as an additional program for reviewing graduates of non-accredited schools. The Board has reviewed the PAVE program and has determined that it provides a review of graduates that is comparable to ECFVG and that it should be recognized in Board regulations. The Board proposes to amend N.J.A.C. 13:44-1.1, 1.2 and 1.4 to recognize that a graduate of a non-accredited veterinary school may qualify for licensure in New Jersey by completing PAVE.

As the Board has provided a 60-day comment period on this notice of proposal, this notice is excepted from the rulemaking calendar requirement pursuant to N.J.A.C. 1:30-3.3(a)5.

Social Impact

Many graduates of non-accredited veterinary schools complete PAVE in order to qualify for licensure in other states. By recognizing PAVE in New Jersey , the Board is allowing for more veterinary graduates, and veterinarians licensed in other states, to obtain a license in New Jersey and to provide veterinary services in New Jersey . This should increase the number of veterinarians working in the State, which will benefit animal owners in New Jersey .

Economic Impact

The Board does not anticipate that the proposed amendments will have any economic impact. The cost of completing a PAVE program is not controlled by the Board; the cost of completing this training will be borne by an applicant.

Federal Standards Statement

A Federal standards analysis is not required because there are no Federal laws or standards applicable to the proposed amendments.

Jobs Impact

The proposed amendments could increase the number of veterinarians licensed to practice in New Jersey but will not increase or decrease the number of jobs in New Jersey .

Agriculture Industry Impact

The Board does not believe that the proposed amendments will have any impact on the agriculture industry of this State.

Regulatory Flexibility Statement

A regulatory flexibility analysis is not required because the proposed amendments only apply to applicants for licensure who cannot be considered "small businesses" because they do not yet have licenses to practice as veterinarians in New Jersey .

Smart Growth Impact

The Board does not anticipate that the proposed amendments will have any impact on the achievement of smart growth and implementation of the State Development and Redevelopment Plan, otherwise known as the State Plan.

Housing Affordability Impact

The proposed amendments will have an insignificant impact on affordable housing in New Jersey and there is an extreme unlikelihood that the rules would evoke a change in the average costs associated with housing because the proposed amendments concern the licensure of applicants who graduated from non-accredited veterinary schools.

Smart Growth Development Impact

The proposed amendments will have an insignificant impact on smart growth and there is an extreme unlikelihood that the rules would evoke a change in housing production in Planning Areas 1 or 2 or within designated centers under the State Development and Redevelopment Plan in New Jersey because the proposed amendments concern the licensure of applicants who graduated from non-accredited veterinary schools.

Full text of the proposal follows (additions indicated in boldface thus ; deletions indicated in [thus]):

SUBCHAPTER 1. LICENSURE BY EXAMINATION; LICENSURE BY WAIVER OF EXAMINATION; BIENNIAL LICENSE RENEWAL; REINSTATEMENT

13:44-1.1 Eligibility for admission to New Jersey State Jurisprudence Examination

(a) As a prerequisite to taking the New Jersey State Jurisprudence Examination, an applicant shall submit to the Board:

1. Evidence that the applicant:

i.-ii. (No change.)

iii. Has successfully completed the training program administered by the Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) of the AVMA or the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education equivalence (PAVE) of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) ; and

2. (No change.)

(b) An applicant who meets the requirements of (a) above, who has either received a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine from a veterinary college or university accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) or has completed either an ECFVG or PAVE program, and has completed an application to sit for the next scheduled [page=155] licensing examination shall be eligible for a temporary permit to be employed as an assistant veterinarian in New Jersey under the responsible supervision of a New Jersey licensed veterinarian at a practice located in the State of New Jersey, pursuant to the provisions of N.J.A.C. 13:44-2.1 and 2.2.

(c) (No change.)

13:44-1.2 Required documentation; admission to New Jersey State Jurisprudence Examination

(a) An applicant for licensure shall submit or arrange to have submitted to the Board, at least two months prior to the New Jersey State Jurisprudence Examination the following:

1.-5. (No change.)

6. If the applicant has completed [an ECFVG Program] a training program administered by the Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) or the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education equivalence (PAVE) of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) , notification that the applicant has satisfactorily completed the program, to be forwarded directly to the Board by the ECFVG or PAVE office.

13:44-1.4 Licensure by endorsement

(a)-(b) (No change.)

(c) An applicant who was not awarded a degree in veterinary medicine from a veterinary college or university accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and who was initially licensed after January 1, 1973, shall submit evidence that he or she possesses a certificate issued by the Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) or the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education equivalence (PAVE) of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) .