January 2020
Register Now for “Catalyze 2020: Innovate and Inspire”
Registration is open for the 2020 AAVMC Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, which will be held March 6-8 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Themed “Catalyze 2020: Innovate and Inspire,” the conference is considered one of the leading professional development events in international academic veterinary medicine. Located just steps from the U.S. Capitol building, the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill offers easy access to some of the most popular Washington D.C. locations. Learn more.
University of Bristol School of Veterinary Medicine Becomes AAVMC’s 53rd Member
The University of Bristol Veterinary School has become the 53rd member of the AAVMC, following its receipt of full accreditation from the Council on Education (COE). The University of Bristol is a major research university located in the southwest area of the United Kingdom, about 100 miles west of London. The university received its Royal Charter in 1909 and enrolls about 22,000 students. Based at Bristol’s Langford Campus, Bristol Veterinary School includes equine and small animal hospitals, a dairy farm, diagnostic laboratories, and farm animal, small animal and equine practices. Learn more.
Conference Diversity and Inclusion Program Developed
The AAVMC strives to advance its core value of promoting diversity & inclusion through virtually every program. But those efforts are sometimes thwarted when it comes to presenting or sponsoring conferences in the 28 states that do not currently have anti-discrimination laws. Previously, AAVMC policy has been to restrict such activity to states with laws that guaranty equal rights and dignity. To address that problem, AAVMC Senior Director for Institutional Research and Diversity Dr. Lisa Greenhill developed a Conference Diversity and Inclusion Protocol that can be used to assess the suitability of a venue on the basis of established criteria for all meetings. The AAVMC Board of Directors approved the proposal during a recent meeting. Learn more.
Stanton Foundation Supporting AAVMC, Veterinary Medicine and Human/Animal Bond
Canine welfare is one of three core areas of philanthropic interest for the Stanton Foundation, an organization established to honor the legacy of the late broadcasting pioneer and CBS President Dr. Frank Stanton. Over the last several years the Stanton Foundation has magnified the impact of his extraordinary life by supporting the AAVMC, veterinary medicine and the human/animal bond, and programs serving other vital areas in society. “We’re honored by this opportunity to collaborate with a foundation that is advancing the causes and initiatives Dr. Stanton cared so deeply about,” said AAVMC CEO Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe. Learn more.
Record U.S. Expansion Brings Strong Economic Climate for Profession
The fortunes and tides of the veterinary medical profession often correlate with the ups and downs of U.S. economic cycles. The longest economic expansion in U.S. history has contributed to the solid employment and salary picture described during the recent 2019 AVMA Economic Summit. The average starting salary for a new veterinarian was reported to be about $85,000 and the mean educational debt for all graduates from U.S. veterinary medical colleges and schools was about $150,000. The debt to income ratio, or DIR, was reported to be 1.81:1. Learn more.
AAVMC Selects 2020 Faculty Fellows
The AAVMC has chosen Dr. Melissa Bain from the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and Dr. Erica Behling-Kelly from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine as 2020 Faculty Fellows. The AAVMC launched the Faculty Fellows Program in 2015 to bring faculty representatives from member institutions to Washington D.C. to develop leadership skills in the advocacy arena, explore the implications of public policy decisions on the profession and gain overall knowledge of the legislative and regulatory process at the federal level. The fellowship is also designed to help participants use their knowledge and experience to work as leaders in advocacy and public policy at their home institutions. Learn more.
Western Regional Iverson Bell Symposium April 17-19, 2020
The 2020 Western Regional Iverson Bell Symposium will be held from April 17-19, 2020 at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. Hosted by the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, the conference will focus on intersectionality as it relates to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Registration is now open and is $120 for faculty/staff and $25 for students. After March 10, late registration is $220 for faculty/staff and $50 for students. Conference enrollment is limited. For more information, contact Bethany Colaprete at bethany.colaprete@wsu.edu or Katy Heaton at cowgirlup4ever@wsu.edu. Learn more.
Programs at Eight AAVMC Institutions Funded by VSGP
Almost $2 million in proposals from seven AAVMC member institution colleges of veterinary medicine and one affiliate were funded during the most recent distribution of Veterinary Service Grants Program (VSGP) Awards. Those include the University of Illinois, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, the University of Kentucky (affiliate), the University of Missouri, Oklahoma State University, Lincoln Memorial University and the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Learn more.
January 2020 National One Health Awareness Month
The United States Senate passed Senate Resolution 462, which designates January 2020 as National One Health Awareness Month in the United States, on December 19, 2019. This major achievement in the years-long effort to build public awareness and support for the One Health concept is the result of a sustained and concerted effort by the One Health Commission and many other collaborating organizations. The One Health Commission and One Health in Action, Louisiana have quickly mobilized to launch a month-long communications effort designed to build awareness at the grassroots level. Please click here to access a comprehensive One Health Awareness guide that can assist your organization in helping spread the word. Learn more.
Nomination Period Opens for AAVMC Communications, Fundraising Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for two AAVMC Awards that recognize excellence in institutional advancement among AAVMC members. The AAVMC's Communications Excellence Award, first presented in 2013, recognizes the important role communication plays in advancing academic veterinary medicine. The AAVMC Excellence in Scholarship Fundraising Award, which was presented for the first time in 2019, is designed to inspire and recognize professional excellence and achievement in fundraising for DVM student scholarships. Each award includes a $1,000 honorarium and professional recognition.
Nominations for Interprofessional Education Collaboration Award Close Feb. 3
Applications for the 2020 Public Health Excellence in Interprofessional Education Collaboration Award are now open and must be received by February 3, 2020. Sponsored by the United States Public Health Service Department (USPHS) and the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC), the awards competition seeks to recognize and showcase how interprofessional collaboration in the health professions positively impacts community health. Application instructions, submission requirements, frequently asked questions, and general tips can be found on the USPHS IPEC Award website. Learn more.
The Veterinary Debt Initiative (VDI) Round-Up
Educational debt in the United States is estimated at $1.6 trillion and looms as a significant economic threat for society at large, not just a generation of students. It's a big problem in academic veterinary medicine as well, but a group of dedicated volunteers are working hard to help. Members of the Veterinary Debt Initiative, comprised of the AVMA, the AAVMC and the Veterinary Medical Association Executives (VMAE), have been meeting regularly for about two years. Their goal: to help veterinarians thrive in financially sustainable and rewarding careers. Click here to read the newest collection of stories in their periodic roundup.
Academic Veterinary Medicine in the News

Veterinary Practice News/WATTAgNet/Animal Pharm/Feedstuffs
Scientific American
Star Tribune
Toronto Star
Abilene Reporter News
The Indo-Canadian Voice
Today's Veterinary Business
Today's Veterinary Business
Feedstuffs
Veterinary Practice News
AAMC News
USAgnet
JAVMA News
Veterinary Practice News
Healio
WSFA-12
People in Motion

Dr. Dana Zimmel, associate dean for clinical services at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named interim dean.

Dr. Robert Mealey is serving as interim dean at the Washington State College of Veterinary Medicine.
AAVMC Newsletters

Sign up to receive the Vet-Med Educator in your inbox here . See past issues here . 
Sign up for our Advocacy newsletter here . Read past issues here . 
Sign up for the newsletter of the Council on International Veterinary Medical Education (CIVME) here . Read past issues here .
Association of American Veterinary
Medical Colleges
202-371-9195

655 K Street, NW, Suite 725
Washington, D.C., 20001
www.aavmc.org