News from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges

September 2018

AAVMC Launches 2018-19 Comparative Data Project

The AAVMC's Comparative Data Report (CDR) project is underway. The 2018 data collection effort began on September 5. The CDR is the AAVMC's largest institutional research project and generates the most comprehensive statistical portrait of academic veterinary medicine that exists. Data collected through the annual survey process concerning faculty, applicants, student enrollment, tuition, educational debt, finances, and other areas support the production of various reports, infographics, interactive visualizations and presentations. Several important changes and additions have been introduced for this year. Read more.

Symposium Draws Student Scientists, Mentors


	TAMU Dean Dr. Eleanor Green at a poster session with student Callie Rogers.

Almost 700 attendees, including more than 550 students, gathered August 2-4 at Texas A&M University (TAMU) for the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium (NVSS). The AAVMC helped organize and present the event. The NVSS is widely recognized as the premier annual scientific colloquium showcasing research accomplishments by veterinary students who are completing summer research internships. The symposium highlights the ways veterinary scientists advance basic and applied research to support global health and serves as an incubator for many students who pursue careers in scientific research. The symposium is the culmination of many student summer research programs, including the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program, multiple programs funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and colleges of veterinary medicine. Read more.

Nomination Cycle for 2018-19 AAVMC Professional Excellence Awards Open September 4 - October 15, 2018

The AAVMC annually presents a series of prestigious awards designed to inspire and recognize professional excellence in teaching, research, service and other areas in academic veterinary medicine. The nomination period is now open for the 2018-19 series of awards, which will be presented during the 2019 annual conference in Washington. The nomination period closes on October 15, 2018. With this year's annual conference also including an Iverson Bell symposium, this year's cycle will also include presentation of the biennial Iverson Bell Award and Patricia Lowrie Diversity Leadership Scholarship awards. Read more.

AAVMC Provides Resources to Help Faculty and Staff Participate in Purdue's Diversity & Inclusion Certificate Program

Fostering a diverse and inclusive operating environment in the profession is a key part of helping veterinary medicine provide excellence in professional service and clinical care. With that goal in mind, the AAVMC Board of Directors has approved $10,000 to help support personnel from AAVMC member institutions participate in the Purdue University Center of Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine's professional certificate program. The AAVMC funding will match one combined $500 registration fee for one faculty member and one staff member at each AAVMC member institution, thereby doubling the number of personnel from each school or college that can participate in the program. Read more.

JVME Caught Up, Geared Up for 2019

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Education (JVME) currently has manuscripts in hand for all four 2019 issues and is caught up after working through a backlog built up over the past several years. JVME is the peer-reviewed academic journal of the AAVMC. As an internationally distributed journal, JVME provides a forum for the exchange of ideas, research and discoveries about veterinary medical education. It is available in both print and online editions. Users download about 30,000 articles each year. "Producing the JVME is a major undertaking, but it's an unparalleled resource in academic veterinary medicine, and one that goes to the heart of our mission," said AAVMC CEO Andrew T. Maccabe. Learn more.

Veterinary Profession Releases Statement of Support to Protect, Strengthen Licensure Requirements

The AAVMC has joined the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) in releasing a joint public statement of support for licensing requirements. "Professional licensure goes to the heart of protecting the health and wellbeing of people and animals," said AAVMC CEO Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe. "It also affects the future development and sustainability of the veterinary medical profession. We appreciate this opportunity to align with our colleagues at the AVMA, the AAVSB, and the NAVTA and make this very important statement to the public." Read more.

AAVC Presents First Private Practice Internship Forum

Because the AAVMC and the Association of American Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) share common interests in academic veterinary medicine, the two organizations work closely together. The AAVC operates the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP), for example, and many of those training programs are located at AAVMC member institutions. Operating successful clinical internship programs in private practice was the focus of the AAVC's first Private Practice Internship Forum held recently in Minneapolis. Topics covered included the new AAVMC Internship Guidelines. Read more.

AAVMC Establishes Relationship with Association of Veterinary Advancement Professionals

The AAVMC and the Association of Veterinary Advancement Professionals (AVAP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that creates a formal relationship between the two organizations. Under the terms of the agreement, the AAVMC will provide meeting management services, maintain AVAP's financial accounts and conduct their business operations. Established in 1998 from a prior group of fundraising officers, AVAP is an organization of about 150 fundraising, communication and alumni relations professionals working in academic veterinary medicine. Advancement officers work very closely with the deans at AAVMC member institutions, who comprise the AAVMC Assembly. Read more.

Remembering LSU-SVM Dean Peter Haynes

The life and legacy of former Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine (LSU-SVM) Dean Dr. Peter Haynes was celebrated during a ceremony in Baton Rouge held on Friday, August 24. Haynes passed away unexpectedly in late June. Haynes worked at the LSU-SVM as a faculty member and administrator for more than 40 years, including tenure as dean from 2007-2014. He served on the board of directors of the AAVMC, including a term as Treasurer. The Dean Peter F. Haynes Equine Award has been established by the LSU Foundation in his honor. Read more.

AVMA Introduces MyVeterinaryLife.com

The AVMA has introduced a new website titled " My Veterinary Life.com," which contains helpful guidance and advice for students and young professionals. The website provides tools and resources that support three areas of critical importance to students and early-career veterinarians: career development, financial health, and wellbeing. The site contains helpful information on everything from finance and educational debt to career planning and development, managing stress in the workplace and fostering health and wellbeing. Read more.

VetCAN Career Fair October 27

The Veterinary Career Advisor Network (VetCAN) will present a Virtual Career Fair on October 27, 2018. The VetCAN Virtual Career Fair provides a forum for employers to identify top quality candidates and it provides job-seeking students and alumni from AAVMC member institutions with the ability to review job opportunities from their desktop or mobile device. During the last VetCAN Virtual Fair held in March 2018 there were over 330 job seekers and 100 employers registered. For more information about how to participate in the October event, click here.
The Veterinary Career Advisor Network (VetCAN) is an AAVMC affiliated organization founded in 2014. Learn more.