What is it? Last winter, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law Public Acts 47 and 49, requiring continuing medical education for both veterinarians and veterinary technicians. (Michigan was the only state that did not have such a law on the books.) In response to this shift, the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association has launched a new portal that offers online education resources, making it easier to learn on the fly. The portal also allows members to track their progress. Of the more than 1,000 courses MVMA offers, roughly 500 will be made available to current members for free.

Why it works: The offering could ease the educational red tape for many vets. “[T]he portal will track your [continuing education] and you can even enter it from external sources to track your compliance,” MVMA wrote on its website last week. With vets in the state required to take part in 45 hours of education every three years, starting in 2019, the approach could make managing the requirement a bit less painful. (Vet technicians, meanwhile, have a 15-hour education requirement.)

Other benefits: MVMA will be offering additional in-person educational resources for members. Other member benefits include career assistance, free legal services, access to healthcare plans and credit card processing services, and a helpline for answering members’ tough veterinary questions.

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