The origins of veterinary medicine and veterinary education date back centuries in Latin America. Animals were of immense importance in the early Spanish colonies, and "albeitar," a word with Arabic origins, was a designation used for a person who was responsible for the care and health of animals. The competency of Albeitar practitioners was certified by the Tribunal of the Protoalbeiterato, which was created as the result of a royal decree by Isabella the First of Spain in 1500. The profession evolved in Latin America over the centuries. In 1853, the first school of veterinary medicine in Mexico, which remains the oldest continuously functioning school of veterinary medicine on the American continent, was created. In 1929, this school was finally integrated into the National University of Mexico after years of being managed by various government ministries. Schools were also begun in Argentina in 1883 and in Columbia in 1885. Today, there are 52 schools of veterinary medicine in Mexico, eight in Central America, 10 in the Caribbean, and an astonishing 371 schools throughout South America. There is great variability in the admission requirements, cost, and quality of the educational programs at many of these 441 schools and general agreement that improvements in quality and standardization would be beneficial. Read more about veterinary education in this part of the world in this article authored by seven leading veterinary educators in Latin America.

From left to right: (Top row) John David Kabasa, Africa; Paul Mills, Australia; Francisco Trigo, Latin and South America; Harold Bok, Continental Europe; Ehab Abu-Basha, North Africa and Middle East; Stephen May, United Kingdom and Ireland. (Bottom row) Emma Read, Canada and United States; Fei Rong Mei, China and Southeast Asia.

The eight members of CIVME were fortunate enough to meet at the Royal Veterinary College in London on November 1, 2017 courtesy of support from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). International accreditation and the advancement of veterinary educator training across nations were the main topics of discussion. Members also had the chance to network, plan future meetings, and start initiatives including launching research grants to support the work of colleagues around the globe. The next time CIVME meets face to face will be the AAVMC's annual conference and Iverson Bell symposium in Washington, D.C. from March 8-12, 2017.

	Dr. Trigo

Dr. Francisco J. Trigo Tavera is the recipient of the 2017 Billy E. Hooper Award for Distinguished Service, presented by the AAVMC to an individual whose leadership and vision has made a significant contribution to academic veterinary medicine and the veterinary profession. Dr. Trigo is Vice Provost for International Affairs at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He founded the Mexican Society of Veterinary Pathologists and has been a leader in advancing and promoting a strong accreditation system in Mexico and Latin America. Learn more.

	Dr. Rhind

Professor Susan Rhind, Chair of Veterinary Education at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, is a member of the Primary Qualifications Subcommittee of the RCVS, which plays a key role in accrediting UK and international veterinary degrees and monitoring their quality on an ongoing basis. Since 2007 she has also been a member of the visitation teams which undertake the monitoring of veterinary degrees and recently chaired two visits - to the University of Cambridge's Department of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 and to St. George's University's School of Veterinary Medicine in Grenada in 2016. Furthermore, she is a member of the RCVS CPD Policy Working Party and has contributed to the College's move towards an outcomes-based approach to continuing professional development (CPD) which will be piloted this year. "This is a very well-deserved honour for Susan who, for many years, has been at the forefront of improving veterinary education and the student experience through her research and published papers," said RCVS President Dr. Chris Tufnell. "We are very fortunate that she has shared this expertise with the College in terms of how we monitor the quality of veterinary degrees and our CPD policy."

	Dr. Mills (left)

On December 1, 2016, CIVME's Dr. Paul Mills was presented with an Australian award for teaching excellence (biological sciences category) in front of an audience of 150 educators. Presented by Australian Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham, the awards are intended to celebrate a group of the nation's most outstanding university teachers who have made a significant contribution to enhancing the quality of learning and teaching in higher education. Up to 16 Teaching Awards, valued at $25,000 each, were allocated across eight categories and Paul was the happy recipient of one of them. Congratulations Paul!

Following is a summary of upcoming medical and scientific meetings in various regions of the world which may be of interest to our members.

February 28 - March 2nd 2017
Theme: Unravelling innovative teaching and learning in the basic health sciences
International Medical Education Conference
April 7 - 9, 2017
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Theme: Globalization of healthcare standards - international accreditation and standards

Vet Ed 2017
July 6 - 7, 2017 (preconference July 5)
Liverpool, England
VetEd was established by veterinary educators in the UK and Europe to take place over two days in the summer time and rotate between schools. It allows veterinary educators to share ideas and innovations in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate vets in an economical conference environment.
http://tymfu.org/veted2017/
Developing Excellence in Medical Education 2017(DEMEC)
November 27 - 28, 2017
Manchester, United Kingdom
Theme: 2nd national medical education conference bringing together leading organizations in medical education and training from across the UK

4th International Conference on Faculty Development in Health Professions
August 25-27 August, 2017
Helsinki, Finland
Preconference to the AMEE 2017 conference
Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) 2017 Conference
August 26 -30, 2017
Helsinki, Finland
Key meeting for all involved in medical and healthcare professions education including teachers, educationists, researchers, administrators, students
7th International Clinical Skills Conference (ICSC)
May 21-May 24, 2017
Prato, Tuscany, Italy
Theme: All aspects of clinical skills education and research
21st Graz Conference on Medical Education
20-22 April 2017
Motivating feedback for satisfied students and teachers
Szeged, Hungary
www.grazconference.at
 
INVEST 2017
April 10-12, 2017
Pretoria, South Africa
Theme: Veterinary clinical skills and simulation teaching, learning and assessment.

2017 International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE)
June 10-June 13, 2017
Burlington, United States of America
Themes: curriculum development, assessment, simulation, faculty development.
International Conference on Residency Education 2017
October 19 - 21, 2017
Halifax, Canada
Themes: Latest trends and innovations in residency education