340.200. Definitions.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

Definitions.

340.200. When used in sections 340.200 to 340.330, the followingterms mean:

(1) "Accredited school of veterinary medicine", any veterinarycollege or division of a university or college that offers the degree ofdoctor of veterinary medicine or its equivalent and is accredited by theAmerican Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA);

(2) "Animal", any wild, exotic or domestic, living or dead animal ormammal other than man, including birds, fish and reptiles;

(3) "Applicant", an individual who files an application to belicensed to practice veterinary medicine or to be registered as aveterinary technician;

(4) "Appointed member of the board", regularly appointed members ofthe Missouri veterinary medical board, not including the state veterinarianwho serves on the board ex officio;

(5) "Board", the Missouri veterinary medical board;

(6) "Consulting veterinarian", a veterinarian licensed in anotherstate, country or territory who gives advice or demonstrates techniques toa licensed Missouri veterinarian or group of licensed Missouriveterinarians;

(7) "ECFVG certificate", a certificate issued by the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association Educational Commission for ForeignVeterinary Graduates or its successor. The certificate must indicate thatthe holder of the certificate has demonstrated knowledge and skillequivalent to that possessed by a graduate of an accredited school ofveterinary medicine;

(8) "Emergency", when an animal has been placed in a life-threateningcondition and immediate treatment is necessary to sustain life or wheredeath is imminent and action is necessary to relieve pain or suffering;

(9) "Faculty member", full professors, assistant professors,associate professors, clinical instructors and residents but does notinclude interns or adjunct appointments;

(10) "Foreign veterinary graduate", any person, including foreignnationals and American citizens, who has received a professional veterinarymedical degree from an AVMA listed veterinary college located outside theboundaries of the United States, its territories or Canada, that is notaccredited by the AVMA;

(11) "License", any permit, approval, registration or certificateissued or renewed by the board;

(12) "Licensed veterinarian", an individual who is validly andcurrently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Missouri asdetermined by the board in accordance with the requirements and provisionsof sections 340.200 to 340.330;

(13) "Minimum standards", standards as set by board rule and whichestablish the minimum requirements for the practice of veterinary medicinein the state of Missouri as are consistent with the intent and purpose ofsections 340.200 to 340.330;

(14) "Person", any individual, firm, partnership, association, jointventure, cooperative or corporation or any other group or combinationacting in concert; whether or not acting as principal, trustee, fiduciary,receiver, or as any kind of legal or personal representative or as thesuccessor in interest, assigning agent, factor, servant, employee,director, officer or any other representative of such person;

(15) "Practice of veterinary medicine", to represent directly,indirectly, publicly or privately an ability and willingness to do any actdescribed in subdivision (28) of this section;

(16) "Provisional license", a license issued to a person while thatperson is engaged in a veterinary candidacy program;

(17) "Registered veterinary technician", a person who is formallytrained for the specific purpose of assisting a licensed veterinarian withtechnical services under the appropriate level of supervision as isconsistent with the particular delegated animal health care task;

(18) "Supervision":

(a) "Immediate supervision", the licensed veterinarian is in theimmediate area and within audible and visual range of the animal patientand the person treating the patient;

(b) "Direct supervision", the licensed veterinarian is on thepremises where the animal is being treated and is quickly and easilyavailable and the animal has been examined by a licensed veterinarian atsuch times as acceptable veterinary medical practice requires consistentwith the particular delegated animal health care task;

(c) "Indirect supervision", the licensed veterinarian need not be onthe premises but has given either written or oral instructions for thetreatment of the animal patient or treatment protocol has been establishedand the animal has been examined by a licensed veterinarian at such timesas acceptable veterinary medical practice requires consistent with theparticular delegated health care task; provided that the patient is not ina surgical plane of anesthesia and the licensed veterinarian is availablefor consultation on at least a daily basis;

(19) "Supervisor", a licensed veterinarian employing or utilizing theservices of a registered veterinary technician, veterinary intern,temporary provisional licensee, veterinary medical student, unregisteredassistant or any other individual working under that veterinarian'ssupervision;

(20) "Temporary license", any temporary permission to practiceveterinary medicine issued by the board pursuant to section 340.248;

(21) "Unregistered assistant", any individual who is not a registeredveterinary technician or licensed veterinarian and is employed by alicensed veterinarian;

(22) "Veterinarian", "doctor of veterinary medicine", "DVM", "VMD",or equivalent title, a person who has received a doctor's degree inveterinary medicine from an accredited school of veterinary medicine orholds a ECFVG certificate issued by the AVMA;

(23) "Veterinarian-client-patient relationship", the veterinarian hasassumed the responsibility for making medical judgments regarding thehealth of the animal and the need for medical treatment, and the client,owner or owner's agent has agreed to follow the instructions of theveterinarian. There is sufficient knowledge of the animal by theveterinarian to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of themedical condition of the animal. Veterinarian-client-patient relationshipmeans that the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquaintedwith the keeping and care of the animal by virtue of an examination or bymedically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal iskept. The practicing veterinarian is readily available for follow-up carein case of adverse reactions or failure of the prescribed course oftherapy;

(24) "Veterinary candidacy program", a program by which a person whohas received a doctor of veterinary medicine or equivalent degree from anaccredited school of veterinary medicine can obtain the practicalexperience required for licensing in Missouri pursuant to sections 340.200to 340.330;

(25) "Veterinary facility", any place or unit from which the practiceof veterinary medicine is conducted, including but not limited to thefollowing:

(a) "Veterinary or animal hospital or clinic", a facility that meetsor exceeds all physical requirements and minimum standards as establishedby board rule for veterinary facilities; provides quality examination,diagnostic and health maintenance services for medical and surgicaltreatment of animals and is equipped to provide housing and nursing carefor animals during illness or convalescence;

(b) "Specialty practice or clinic", a facility that provides completespecialty service by a licensed veterinarian who has advanced training in aspecialty and is a diplomate of an approved specialty board. A specialtypractice or clinic shall meet all minimum standards which are applicable toa specialty as established by board rule;

(c) "Central hospital", a facility that meets all requirements of aveterinary or animal hospital or clinic as defined in paragraph (a) of thissubdivision and other requirements as established by board rule, and whichprovides specialized care, including but not limited to twenty-four-hournursing care and specialty consultation on permanent or on-call basis. Acentral hospital shall be utilized primarily on referral from areaveterinary hospitals or clinics;

(d) "Satellite, outpatient or mobile small animal clinic", asupportive facility owned by or associated with and has ready access to afull-service veterinary hospital or clinic or a central hospital providingall mandatory services and meeting all physical requirements and minimumstandards as established by sections 340.200 to 340.330 or by board rule;

(e) "Large animal mobile clinic", a facility that providesexamination, diagnostic and preventive medicine and minor surgical servicesfor large animals not requiring confinement or hospitalization;

(f) "Emergency clinic", a facility established to receive patientsand to treat illnesses and injuries of an emergency nature;

(26) "Veterinary candidate", a person who has received a doctor ofveterinary medicine or equivalent degree from an accredited school orcollege of veterinary medicine and who is working under the supervision ofa board-approved licensed veterinarian;

(27) "Veterinary intern", a person who has received a doctor ofveterinary medicine or equivalent degree from an accredited school orcollege of veterinary medicine and who is participating in additionalclinical training in veterinary medicine to prepare for AVMA-recognizedcertification or specialization;

(28) "Veterinary medicine", the science of diagnosing, treating,changing, alleviating, rectifying, curing or preventing any animal disease,deformity, defect, injury or other physical or mental condition, including,but not limited to, the prescription or administration of any drug,medicine, biologic, apparatus, application, anesthesia or other therapeuticor diagnostic substance or technique on any animal, including, but notlimited to, acupuncture, dentistry, animal psychology, animal chiropractic,theriogenology, surgery, both general and cosmetic surgery, any manual,mechanical, biological or chemical procedure for testing for pregnancy orfor correcting sterility or infertility or to render service orrecommendations with regard to any of the procedures in this paragraph;

(29) "Veterinary student preceptee", a person who is pursuing aveterinary degree in an accredited school of veterinary medicine which hasa preceptor program and who has completed the academic requirements of suchprogram.