COLUMBUS — More than one-third of the specialists at Ohio State University's veterinary hospital lack a state veterinarian's license, a published report says.

        The Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board said 21 of the 53 veterinarians who treat animals at the hospital don't have the license, the Columbus Dispatch reported Sunday.

        State law allows those veterinarians to practice without a license, treating animals that other veterinarians refer there. About 30,000 animals a year are treated at the hospital, which includes an equine clinic.

        The hospital's director, Dr. Richard Bednarski, said having unlicensed veterinarians working at hospitals isn't unusual in teaching situations.

        “Most people don't think about it or know about it,” he said. “Vets from around the state are OK with it.”

        The situation arises in part because many states don't accept licenses from other states. Veterinarians who move to Ohio to practice must pass the Ohio licensing test before practicing, even if they have a license from another state.

        However, veterinarians at Ohio State are exempt as long as their practice remains at the university, Dr. Bednarski said. That's so veterinary specialists who move to Columbus to work at Ohio State don't have to spend time practicing for the Ohio test.

        “Most of our practitioners are specialists, teaching a very narrow part of the curriculum,” he said.

        Dr. Bednarski said requiring them to take the general veterinary test would mean weeks of catch-up studying for most in areas they don't use in their specialized practices. That could hurt faculty recruiting, he said.

        The state veterinary licensing board has no jurisdiction over Ohio State veterinarians working without licenses and cannot sanction them if problems arise.

        But the board is about to address the issue as it revises the portion of Ohio law dealing with veterinarians.

        “This is a real can of worms as to what you do,” said Dr. Raymond Fournier, one of seven members of the board. “It's kind of a slap in the face to the public that the licensing board can't intervene.”

        Changes first must be approved by the licensing board and then by the legislature. A board committee is expected to examine the situation in the coming months, said Heather Hissom, executive secretary for the board.

        Dr. Brian Forsgren, president of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, said his group will discuss the license procedure at its next meeting.

        Dr. Bednarski thinks Ohio State veterinarians should hold limited licenses from the state.

        “Then the public is assured that the licensing board can have some jurisdiction,” he said. “I'd welcome that. Everyone should be subject to scrutiny.”

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