NOTICE:
*The Board of Veterinary Medicine’s office has moved to:
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 215, Saint Paul, MN 55102
Board Mission
The Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine is the licensing agency for veterinarians in the state of Minnesota and was established by the Minnesota Legislature in 1893. The seven members of the Board are appointed by the Governor to four-year terms; five members are licensed veterinarians and two are public members.
The mission of the Board is to promote, preserve, and protect the health, safety and welfare of the public and animals through the effective control and regulation of the practice of veterinary medicine.
The Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine is an equal opportunity Employer.
Upcoming Board Meeting
December 29, 2022
The next scheduled meeting of the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 10 AM. If you would like attend, please contact the Board office at vet.med@state.mn.us.
News & Newsletters
2023 Board Member Appointment
January 18, 2023
Dr. Julie Dahlke has been re-appointed by Governor Walz to serve as a veterinarian member of the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine. She is a 1996 graduate of the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She practices small animal veterinary medicine in St. Paul, Minnesota.
2023 New Board Member Appointment
January 18, 2023
The Board of Veterinary Medicine welcomes Dr. John Howe who has been appointed by Governor Walz on January 17,2023 to serve as a veterinarian member of the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine. He replaces Dr. Michelle Vaughn. Dr. Howe, a resident of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, graduated from the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1977. He has over 40 years of practice experience in mixed animal medicine and surgery, including cattle, horses, swine, small ruminants, dogs, cats, exotics such as reptiles and birds. Dr. Howe is a past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association and Minnesota Board of Animal Health and is an active member of multiple veterinary associations .
Open Board Member Vacancies
January 18, 2023
Applications are open for one Minnesota-licensed large animal veterinarian to serve on this Board. Appointments are made by the Governor for a four year term. Please read more here: https://mn.gov/boards/veterinary-medicine/board/board/open-appointments.jsp.
February 1, 2023 Federal Regulatory Resumption of FDA Ban on VCPR Establishment via Telemedicine
December 29, 2022
As summarized in AVMA’s Animal Health December 23, 2022 Animal Health Brief, as of February. 21, 2023, the FDA will lift pandemic-era flexibility for veterinary telemedicine and resume enforcement of the federal requirement that animals have an in-person examination or site visit to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship for certain activities, such as extra label drug use and release of veterinary feed directives. Under the rule, a VCPR cannot be established via telemedicine, though an existing VCPR may include telemedicine between medically appropriate examinations and site visits. FDA to resume enforcement of all federal VCPR requirements for veterinary telemedicine | American Veterinary Medical Association (avma.org)
Timing for VCPR Reverted to 12 Months on July 1, 2022
December 29, 2022
The Board’s extension of time allowed for a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship ceased as of July 1, 2022. Once again, a valid VCPR requires a physical examination or visit to the premises within the preceding 12 months. Please contact the Board with any questions.
Fraud Alert for Minnesota-Licensed Health Professionals
November 24, 2021
Multiple variations of a fraud targeting Minnesota’s licensed health professionals have been identified over recent months. Licensees of other health professions have been contacted by individuals claiming that their Board is taking disciplinary action against them for a multitude of reasons including management of controlled substances. A recent example of such a phishing letter can be seen here. This may be followed by a phone call requesting money, DEA registration number or additional protected information about the licensee. Using a caller ID scamming process, the number displayed on your caller ID may appear to be the Board's number. If you experience this or have questions, do not hesitate to call the Board directly. The Board appreciates any specific information which may be useful in addressing the calls. Further information is available here: Fraud Alert FAQ’s.
Pre-recorded Continuing Education Temporary Classification as Interactive
September 10, 2021
Credits for recent, pre-recorded Continuing Education that is RACE-approved or provided by a pre-approved entity will continue to be classified as interactive for 2023 renewals. This includes webinars and archived lectures from CE programs that are accessible at a later date. This temporary reclassification applies to programs presented or recorded beginning January 1, 2019 through February 28, 2023. Veterinarians may request individual credit approval for virtual CE that is not otherwise approved within 30 days of viewing the recording by submitting the Individual Continuing Education Approval Request form available on the Board’s website. https://mn.gov/boards/veterinary-medicine/continuing-ed/
NEW Minnesota DVM controlled substances and gabapentin prescription requirements
October 1, 2020
As of October 1, 2020, there are new requirements for veterinary prescriptions that are sent to pharmacies or to another veterinarian to be filled. The purpose of the requirement is to diminish the risk of undetected veterinary doctor shopping through use of the Board of Pharmacy’s Prescription Monitoring Program.
Please note that these requirements also apply to gabapentin prescriptions.
The new requirements include provision of the owner’s date of birth on the prescription, and inclusion of the prescribing veterinarian’s license number in a 5 digit format. The details of the requirements and answers to frequently asked questions are attached.
Compliance with these requirements falls to the DEA registrant for controlled substances and to the prescribing veterinarian for gabapentin.
Details regarding this guidance can be found in these PDFs: Board of Vet Med_Veterinarian Communication_MN_2020 Board of Vet Med_Veterinary Prescriptions FAQ
License Renewal Notice
May 12, 2022
Licenses with license numbers ending in an odd number must be renewed by March 1, 2023. License renewal will open on November 1, 2022. Online renewal will be available for payment by credit card at the Board's License Renewal page.
2019 Medication-Related Legislative Changes Affecting Veterinarians
There are 4 important sections of new law which go into effect on July 1, 2019 that practicing veterinarians need to be aware of.
- Opioids
- Pharmacy Fee-Splitting with Veterinarians
- Emergency Drug Refills
- Compounded Medications for Urgent Care
safeTALK Training - Preventing Suicide in Agricultural Communities
When a neighbor’s tractor gets stuck, you don’t hesitate to help. But when you see a family member, friend, or client stuck in a rut—and possibly suicidal—it can be daunting to try and help and can leave you feeling powerless.
Suicide is a significant public health issue in Minnesota. It involves the tragic loss of human life and causes agonizing grief, fear, and confusion in families and communities. The impact can even extend across generations.
This training focuses teaches in-depth skills you can learn in half a day. You’ll learn how to recognize someone having thoughts of suicide, how to engage them, and how to make sure they get help. This evidence-based training is effective for people as young as 15. All six sessions will include a unit specially designed to address stigma associated with suicide and mental illness among farmers and farm workers.
Click here to read more about this course.
To register, please visit: http://safeTALK-agriculture.eventbrite.com