Why can continuing education hours not be carried over to other years?

The reason that continuing education hours cannot be carried over to other years is primarily to encourage consistent participation. This policy is designed to promote a habit of ongoing learning and professional development among veterinarians. By requiring that these hours be completed within the designated time frame, it helps ensure that practitioners are regularly updating their knowledge and skills rather than accumulating credits sporadically. This regular engagement with current practices, advancements, and techniques is vital in a field like veterinary medicine, where new information and technologies are continually emerging.

While maintaining current knowledge is certainly an important aspect, the focus of the requirement is less on knowledge retention over multiple years and more on creating a culture of continual improvement and engagement with the latest developments in the veterinary profession. Record-keeping concerns and compliance with regulations may be valid considerations, but the central goal here is to inspire consistent involvement in education throughout a practitioner's career.