9 C.F.R. § 161.2 Requirements and application procedures for accreditation.
Title 9 - Animals and Animal Products
(a) Initial accreditation. A veterinarian may apply for accreditation by completing an application for accreditation on Form 1–36A, “Application for Veterinary Accreditation,” including certification that the applicant is able to perform the tasks listed in paragraph (d) of this section, and submitting it to the Veterinarian-in-Charge in the State where he or she wishes to perform accredited duties. (1) Completed Forms 1–36A received by a Veterinarian-in-Charge shall be reviewed by the State Animal Health Official for the State in which the veterinarian wishes to perform accredited duties. Within 14 days after receiving an application, a State Animal Health Official shall either endorse the application or send a written statement to the Administrator explaining why it was not endorsed; but if the State Animal Health Official fails to take one of these actions within 14 days, the Veterinarian-in-Charge shall proceed to review the application. The Administrator will review the application and the written statement, if any, and determine whether the applicant meets the requirements for accreditation contained in this part. (2) The Administrator is hereby authorized to accredit a veterinarian when he or she determines that: (i) The veterinarian is a graduate with a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine or an equivalent degree (any degree that qualifies the holder to be licensed by a State to practice veterinary medicine) from a college of veterinary medicine; (ii) The veterinarian is licensed or legally able to practice veterinary medicine in the State in which the veterinarian wishes to perform accredited duties. APHIS will confirm licensing status of the applicant by contacting the State board of veterinary medical examiners or any similar State organization that maintains records of veterinarians licensed in a State; and, (iii) The veterinarian has completed an orientation program approved by the Veterinarian-in-Charge for the State in which the veterinarian wishes to practice, and upon completion of the orientation, has signed a written statement listing the date and place of orientation, the subjects covered in the orientation, and any written materials provided to the veterinarian at the orientation. The Veterinarian-in-Charge shall also give the State Animal Health Official an opportunity to review the contents of the orientation, and invite him or her to participate in developing orientation materials and conducting the orientation. The orientation program shall include the following topics: (A) Federal animal health laws, regulations, and rules; (B) Interstate movement requirements for animals; (C) Import and export requirements for animals; (D) USDA animal disease eradication and control programs; (E) Laboratory support in confirming disease diagnoses; (F) Ethical/Professional responsibilities of an accredited veterinarian; and, (G) Animal health procedures, issues, and information resources relevant to the State in which the veterinarian wishes to perform accredited duties. (b) Reaccreditation. A veterinarian whose accreditation has been revoked may apply for reaccreditation when the revocation has been in effect for not less than two years by completing an application for reaccreditation on Form 1–36A, “Application for Veterinary Accreditation”, and submitting it to the Veterinarian-in-Charge of the State or area where he or she wishes to perform accredited work. (1) Completed Forms 1–36A received by a Veterinarian-in-Charge shall be reviewed by the State Animal Health Official for the State in which the veterinarian wishes to perform accredited duties. Within 14 days after receiving an application, a State Animal Health Official shall either endorse the application or send a written statement to the Administrator explaining why it was not endorsed; but if the State Animal Health Official fails to take one of these actions within 14 days, the Veterinarian-in-Charge shall proceed to review the application. The Administrator will review the application and the written statement, if any, and determine whether the applicant meets the requirements for reaccreditation contained in this part. (2) The Administrator is hereby authorized to reaccredit a veterinarian when he or she determines that: (i) The veterinarian is licensed or legally able to practice veterinary medicine in the State in which the veterinarian wishes to perform accredited duties; (ii) The veterinarian has completed a reaccreditation orientation program approved by the Veterinarian-in-Charge for the State in which the veterinarian wishes to practice, and upon completion of the orientation, has signed a written statement listing the date and place of orientation, the subjects covered in the orientation, and any written materials provided to the veterinarian at the orientation. The Veterinarian-in-Charge shall also give the State Animal Health Official an opportunity to review the contents of the reaccreditation orientation, and invite him or her to participate in developing orientation materials and conducting the orientation. The orientation program shall include topics addressing the subject areas which led to loss of accreditation for the applicant, and subject areas which have changed since the applicant lost accreditation; and, (iii) The professional integrity and reputation of the applicant support a conclusion that the applicant will faithfully fulfill the duties of an accredited veterinarian in the future. In making this conclusion, the Administrator shall review all available information about the applicant, including recommendations of the State Animal Health Official, and shall consider: (A) Criminal conviction records adversely reflecting on the honesty or integrity of the applicant with regard to the performance or nonperformance of veterinary medical duties; (B) Official records of the applicant's actions participating in Federal, State, or local veterinary programs; (C) Judicial determinations in civil litigation adversely reflecting on the integrity of the applicant; and (D) Any other evidence reflecting on the professional integrity and reputation of the applicant. (c) Reinstatement after suspension. A veterinarian whose accreditation has been suspended for less than 6 months (other than a summary suspension that is changed to a revocation as a result of an adjudicatory proceeding) will be automatically reinstated as an accredited veterinarian upon completion of the suspension. A veterinarian whose accreditation has been suspended for 6 months or more must complete a reaccreditation orientation program in accordance with paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section before accreditation will be reinstated. (d) Tasks which applicants for accredited status must be able to perform. Applicants for accredited status must be able to: (1) Perform physical examinations of individual animals, and visually inspect herds or flocks, to determine whether the animals are free from any clinical signs suggestive of communicable disease; (2) Recognize the common breeds of livestock so as to be able to record breed information on official documents; (3) Recognize brucellosis tattoos and calfhood vaccination tags, and determine the state of origin of eartags, to properly identify animals in interstate commerce; (4) Estimate the age of livestock using a dental formula; (5) Apply an eartag, tattoo, backtag, and legband; (6) Certify the disease status of a poultry flock with regard to disease caused by Salmonella enteritidis, chlamydiosis and exotic Newcastle disease, by evaluating records of the flock's participation in and testing by Federal and State poultry health programs; (7) Properly complete certificates for domestic and international movement of animals; (8) Apply and remove official seals; (9) Perform a necropsy on livestock; (10) Recognize clinical signs and lesions of exotic animal diseases; (11) Plan a disease control strategy for a livestock unit; (12) Vaccinate for brucellosis and fill out the vaccination certificate; (13) Draw and ship blood for testing; (14) Perform a caudal fold test for tuberculosis; (15) Develop appropriate cleaning and disinfection plans to control communicable livestock disease spread; and (16) Explain basic principles for control of diseases for which APHIS or APHIS-State cooperative programs exist, such as brucellosis, pseudorabies, and tuberculosis. [57 FR 54912, Nov. 23, 1992, as amended at 61 FR 56891, Nov. 5, 1996]
Title 9: Animals and Animal Products
PART 161—REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITED VETERINARIANS AND SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF SUCH ACCREDITATION
§ 161.2 Requirements and application procedures for accreditation.
