College Connection | Spring 2023
Evolution of Licensure : Supervision safeguards the delivery of veterinary medicine and supports access to care
College Connection | Spring 2023
Evolution of Licensure : Supervision safeguards the delivery of veterinary medicine and supports access to care
In a previous issue of College Connection ( Fall 2022 ), I provided examples of how we are continuing to evolve the College ’ s licensure process to ensure it balances the need for more veterinarians and the requirement that the College only issues licences to veterinarians who are competent to practice . We are continuing to look at all of our processes to determine where we can take a more modern approach to our work .
Another example that I want to provide is our revised approach to supervision .
Supervision is used as a safeguard when a veterinarian from an unaccredited school is in the process of completing the required examinations in order to be issued a general licence . The Registration Committee can issue Restricted Licences that allow veterinarians to practice in these supervisory conditions .
The Committee used to take a very rigid approach to this supervision . The supervision was always direct and onsite until the supervised veterinarian had passed components of the Clinical Proficiency Examination ( CPE ). For example , if the supervised veterinarian passed the surgery and anesthesia components of the CPE , they could re-apply to the Committee to move to indirect supervision in these areas of their practice .
Throughout the last couple of years , as the need for veterinary care increased , supervising veterinarians would increasingly write to the Committee asking for variances to the level of supervision based on the fact that they had been able to observe the veterinarian and were comfortable with the competence of the veterinarian and felt that they could safely move to indirect supervision . Indirect supervision does not require the supervising veterinarian to be onsite at all times , but allows for remote supervision where the supervisor can be reached if needed .
The Registration Committee considered the risks associated with this period of supervision and determined that supervising veterinarians were in the best position to decide how much supervision the veterinarians in their facility required .
Last year , the Registration Committee adopted a new model where they require a defined period of direct supervision at the beginning of a new supervision agreement and then the supervising veterinarian can move to indirect supervision by notifying the College of the change . These changes no longer require Committee approval and allow the supervising veterinarian
• Shilo Tooze , Associate Registrar , Licensure
to determine what level of supervision is required .
The Committee also looks at supervision variances for veterinary practice models that are less conducive to direct supervision , like food animal , equine and other mobile practices , to consider other creative approaches to supervision that continue to manage the risks associated with the practice of unaccredited applicants transitioning into practice prior to completing the required examinations .
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