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Membership Requirements
Here is what you need to know about membership requirements.
VIN CE
It is not necessary to be a VIN member
to participate in VIN CE.
However, rates are reduced for VIN members.
Generally, veterinarians and veterinary students, veterinary
academia, and those associated with the veterinary industry
can join VIN. Please use the following links to learn more
about VIN eligibility requirements for:
If you are not currently a VIN member and would like to join, we
recommend that you enroll for your CE course and, during the
enrollment process, you choose the option of joining VIN.
Your application will be reviewed for eligibility.
VSPN CE
It is necessary to be a VSPN or VIN member to
participate in VSPN CE.
VSPN membership is free for veterinary support
staff working with, for, or in the field of veterinary
medicine under the direction of a licensed veterinarian.
Enrollment
It's easy to enroll on-line for VIN and VSPN CE courses. Early enrollment will
assure your place in class.
After you have enrolled in your course(s) and your payment is
processed, expect a return e-mail receipt confirming your enrollment
within 48 to 72 hours. If so requested, this receipt will be sent
via regular U.S. mail instead. Just prior to the course, you
will receive an e-mail indicating that you now have access to
the course area and providing directions on how to reach it.
The main means for sending course communications is via e-mail
so it's important for enrollees to check their e-mail frequently
prior to the opening date of the course and throughout the course duration.
Course enrollees must ensure that their e-mail filters permit
receipt of e-mails from all @vin.com and @vspn.org domains.
To Enroll in VIN CE Courses
Go to
http://www.vin.com/CE, and select a class from the
"OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT" listing on the right of the screen.
Click "Enroll Now" below the name of the course for which
you wish to enroll; you will receive step-by-step instructions.
To Enroll in VSPN CE Courses
Go to
http://www.vspn.org/CE, and select a class from the
"OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT" listing on the right of the screen.
Click "Enroll Now" below the name of the course for which
you wish to enroll; you will receive step-by-step instructions.
Course Libraries
The required and recommended reading materials for the
course, other than textbooks, are located in the special
CE library established for each individual CE course.
These materials will be available for you to use throughout
the course and will be archived, along with the session
transcripts and the content of the course message boards, for
your permanent access after the course is closed.
To receive the greatest benefit from the interactive sessions,
please review the materials appropriate to each session in
advance. As questions arise from your review of the course
materials, you can post them at any time on the
course message boards (please see the following section).
Some course libraries include supplemental information,
including links to helpful websites.
Course Message Boards
The course message boards can be accessed only by those
registered for the course and the instructors. These special
boards are open for posting messages throughout the duration
of the course and for one week after the final real-time
session for the course. Questions and discussions arising
from the course materials, interactive sessions, or clinical
case material relevant to the course should be posted on the
course message boards. It's best to read the existing discussions
on the message boards before posting. You can reply (i.e., add
another post) to an existing discussion thread about the topic if it's already
in progress or start a new discussion if your question relates
to a new topic.
Message board discussions are an essential
element of a successful on-line class and of your course
participation. This is where topics can be explored in depth
and applied to clinical cases and real practice situations.
VIN and VSPN members will have access to their course materials indefinitely.
The special course message boards are available for posting
from the time their course opens
until it closes, at which time the course instructor(s) will no
longer monitor the course message boards. The course message
boards are archived after the course closes.
Practice/How-To Sessions
In the week before the first real-time session for your course,
you are invited to attend one of the two or three practice
(VIN CE) or how-to (VSPN CE) sessions for the course. During
this session you will learn how the Unity CONFERENCE ROOM
works; how to participate in polls, ask questions, view session
graphics, and seek help with computer problems; and how to
find and use the course libraries and special course message
boards.
These sessions are strongly recommended for those taking their first VIN or VSPN CE
course and for those who haven't taken such a course for a year or more.
Participants need to concentrate on course content,
not Unity "mechanics," during the real-time sessions. The
practice/how-to sessions help first-time VIN and VSPN CE
course attendees be ready for their first real-time session.
Real-Time Sessions
Real-time sessions are held each week in the course area
classroom (i.e., the Unity CONFERENCE ROOM designated for the
course). The sessions include a formal presentation by the
instructor and interactive questions and answers where the
instructor answers questions posed by participants. The sessions
usually also include slides and/or videos and automated polls
(questions with multiple-choice answer options posed to all
participants). The instructor directs the session, but active
participation by all class attendees is encouraged.
Attendance at the real-time session is NOT mandatory, but it is
recommended. If you cannot attend, please be sure you comply
with the instructions in the section entitled
Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion
Certificate.
If you have not yet used our classrooms or chat rooms (i.e.,
Unity CONFERENCE ROOMS), you will find them easy to access with
links from each course main page to the classroom for that
course. The Unity software used for the real-time sessions uses
Macromedia's FLASH player, available via a free download from
the internet. If your computer does not have a sufficiently
current version of FLASH for a successful Unity session, the
FLASH player will be automatically downloaded for you. If you see
a warning message about a download, please click "YES" or "OK"
to complete the download process.
Please confirm that you can reach the classroom at least the
day before your first interactive session. If you need
assistance, please contact VIN technical support:
| VIN Technical Support |
| E-Mail: |
support@vin.com |
| Phone: |
1.800.846.0028 x127 or
1.530.756.4881 (outside the U.S.)
during U.S. West Coast business hours
(i.e., from 9:00 AM through 5:00 PM PT). |
Asking Questions During the Session
During much of the session, the CONFERENCE ROOM will be in a
special mode called "moderation." When this is the case, you
can type and submit your questions or comments at any time.
They'll be sent to a special log rather than being displayed
immediately in the CONFERENCE ROOM. All questions received
will be addressed by the instructor as time permits. If you
don't receive a response during the real-time session or if
your question will require a detailed answer, you can post it
on the course message boards for more thorough treatment.
When the CONFERENCE ROOM is in moderation, the text-input line
below the main classroom window looks like this:
On-Line Protocol
We sometimes use chat protocol during VIN/VSPN Rounds or CE real-time sessions.
This protocol is used when the text-input line below the main
classroom window looks like this:
This protocol is designed to keep order, NOT to inhibit
participation--we encourage participation! On-line protocol for
a class or rounds session is the same as in off-line
lectures/rounds/large group discussions.
It is easy to comply by using the following easy rules:
- To avoid having multiple participants "speak" (i.e., send
text) at the same time or interrupt the instructor/speaker, the
instructor/speaker is the only one who should speak without being
recognized.
- Type your question or comment into the text-entry field at
the bottom of the main VIN Unity CONFERENCE ROOM window and
then "raise your hand."
- To "raise your hand," click on the !/? button next to the SEND button
at the bottom of the CONFERENCE ROOM window. If your question ended
in a question mark, a "?" character will be sent into the CONFERENCE
ROOM, otherwise a "!" character will be sent. The "?" indicates
you have a question and the "!" character indicates you have a
comment.
- You know it is your turn to transmit text when the leader
sends "GA" (go ahead), followed by your name, into the
CONFERENCE ROOM window.
- Once you have been acknowledged by the instructor with a "GA",
you simply click on the "SEND" button to send your text.
During some sessions, the instructor may wish to poll all attendees
or otherwise encourage participation without adherence to protocol.
If the instructor sends "GA, everyone" or "GA, all," you may enter
your comment or question directly into the room without first raising
your hand and being recognized.
Please do NOT "Talk in private" (i.e., initiate a PRIVATE CHAT)
with the instructors. Their names are listed in bold blue type
at the top of the list of users to the right of the main classroom
window. In the following example, Vinny Trey is an instructor.
Running the real-time session and answering participants' questions
is a full-time responsibility for the instructors.
You are always welcome to contact a moderator or classroom assistant
during the real-time session. Their names are listed in bold black
type below the instructors' names on the list of users. In the
following example, Peggy Hall is a moderator.
Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate
VIN and VSPN course coordinators must account for a course
participant's active involvement and participation during
the course. You can participate by contributing comments,
asking questions, and participating in the polls during each
session. If you are not able to attend
a session, you can compensate for your absence by downloading
and studying the transcript and slides/videos of the session.
You can post comments or questions about the transcript and
library materials in the course message boards. Then, you can
be prepared to engage in the message board discussions that
result. Active participation on the course message boards and/or
in the real-time sessions is mandatory to earn CE credits.
Without evidence of your participation, VIN and VSPN cannot
assure the accrediting agency of your attendance.
How do we keep track of attendance on-line?
There are several ways.
- Complete transcripts of the real-time class sessions are
kept for possible auditing by a state or provincial board. In addition,
your participation in session polls and homework assignments
and quizzes is tallied; the statistics are retained for review.
- A complete transcript of the course message boards is kept
for 5 years for possible auditing by a state or provincial board.
What do you need to do to participate and receive
a CE certificate?
You must demonstrate that you are actively participating in the course:
- Read at least 50 percent of the discussions (i.e., threads)
in the course message board folders. If you don't post, don't worry;
your on-line "reading" of the message board discussions will
count as participation too. We can track your participation,
but printing message board discussions does not count as reading.
- Participate actively in the course an average of 3 or more times each week.
This can include postings on the course message boards and/or
participation in the real-time sessions. You can meet these
requirements by posting an average of 3 times each week, by
"speaking up" 3 times during the real-time session (i.e.,
answering the poll questions and submitting questions and
comments during the session), by completing any homework
assignments provided by the instructor, or by any combination
of these. If you miss a real-time session or can't visit the
boards in any given week, you will still receive credit
provided you meet the requirement for total participation
by the end of the course.
- For some VIN and VSPN courses, homework assignments, final exams,
and/or completion of the end-of-course survey will be required.
Please check the specific requirements of your course on the
course homepage.
At the end of a course, the VIN or VSPN CE office will confirm your
actual participation and then mail to you a hard copy (by U.S. Mail)
or .pdf file (by e-mail) CE certificate that describes the course
and the number of CE hours earned.
For any course where you have earned CE credit, you can go online and
print the corresponding CE certificate.
- Just login to the MyCE console by clicking on the yellow
"MY CE - View your credits and certificates" banner displayed
at the top of either the VIN CE or the VSPN CE main pages.
- Select the Previouse Courses tab to view the list of courses that
you have completed.
- If you have been issued a CE certificate for a course, the Certificate
column should contain an Adobe PDF icon. Click on this icon and your
CE certificate will display in another window.
- You can view, save, or print the CE certificate at any time.
Each participant is responsible for keeping track of
each hour of CE credit earned and for printing or saving this completion
certification for submission to his or her accrediting board(s).
We provide certificate information to any state or province board
only in response to a question from your accrediting board.
Withdrawing from a CE Course
To receive a full refund or credit towards another VIN or VSPN CE
course, you must withdraw before the course start date.
To withdraw, call the VIN CE office or the VSPN CE office at
the numbers given in the "Contact Us" section immediately below.
If the course for which you are registered has more than a single
real-time (RT) session, you can withdraw from that course after
the first RT session and before the second RT session and receive credit towards a future VIN or
VSPN CE course. If you are withdrawing because of special
circumstances, your request will be handled on an individual
basis; you can arrange for a prorated credit.
Contact Us
If you need additional assistance with VIN or VSPN membership, CE enrollment,
certificate requirements, or certificate documentation, please
contact the VIN/VSPN CE staff:
| VIN CE |
| E-Mail: |
CEonVIN@vin.com |
| Phone: |
1.800.700.INFO (4636) or 1.530.756.4881 (outside the U.S.) |
| |
| VSPN CE |
| E-Mail: |
VSPNCE@vspn.org |
| Phone: |
1.800.846.0028 or 1.530.756.4881: Charlotte x193 or Chris x197 |
Address (URL):
