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April 2026

General News and Updates

Kathryn Meurs Begins Term as AAVMC President and

Board Chair

AAVMC Immediate Past President Bonnie Rush (right) passed the gavel to Kathryn Meurs at Catalyze 2026, the AAVMC's annual conference.

Kathryn Meurs, DVM, PhD, Dip ACVIM, began her term as AAVMC President and Board Chair last week at AAVMC’s annual conference. Meurs is the Randall B. Terry Jr. Dean at the North Carolina State University (NCSU) College of Veterinary Medicine.

“I am so grateful for this opportunity to work with this outstanding community of veterinary college leaders. The AAVMC community’s dedication to excellence, compassion, and discovery is a constant source of inspiration, and I am privileged to help guide that mission forward,” Meurs said. “I look forward to working with AAVMC members to nurture the next generation of veterinarians, advance transformative research, and elevate veterinary education.”

An esteemed leader, researcher, and educator in veterinary medicine, Meurs brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She joined NCSU as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Students in 2011. Before that she served on the faculty of the colleges of veterinary medicine at Washington State University and The Ohio State University. At each university, she was involved with not only teaching, but also mentoring and advising undergraduate, professional, and graduate students. She is board certified in cardiology and holds doctorates in veterinary medicine and genetics, with expertise in the genetic basis of feline and canine cardiac diseases.

Catalyze 2026 Features Innovation and Forward-Thinking in Veterinary Medical Education

Catalyze 2026 drew nearly 400 participants from around the world for three days of collaboration, innovation, and forward-thinking in veterinary medical education. This year’s event introduced new opportunities for creative conversation and bold ideas aimed at addressing the field’s most complex challenges.

Highlights included sessions on the most impactful papers from the last year of research in veterinary education, the use of AI in enrollment and college admissions, competency-based veterinary education, updates from the AVMA's Council on Education, federal shifts in higher education, equity-centered wellbeing, and enhanced Spectrum of Care training.

AAVMC and Zoetis Foundation Announce 2026 Scholarship Recipients

Zoetis Foundation/AAVMC Veterinary Student Scholarship Recipients

In addition, more than 200 students enrolled in AAVMC member institutions in the U.S. and Caribbean received the Zoetis Foundation/AAVMC Veterinary Student Scholarship. Each recipient received a $7,000 award.

SOC Spotlight: Teaching SOC Case Management

Do you want to introduce your students to a spectrum of care (SOC) approach to case management?

The Spectrum of Care Implementation Strategies Guide includes resources for teaching SOC case management using examples of common canine surgical and nonsurgical diagnoses. 

Explore examples of SOC case management for: 


• Canine recurrent/chronic otitis externa  
• Canine parvovirus  
• Canine pyometra  
• Canine foreign body ingestion +/- acute GI obstruction 

Each case example highlights a range of care options, supporting references, and guidance on assessments and learning experiences to develop the specific knowledge and skills that students need to manage the case using an SOC approach.

VetEd AAVMC Keynotes Explore the Human Side of Veterinary Education

Two keynotes at VetEd AAVMC, taking place June 3‒5 at the University of Wisconsin‒Madison, will bring together two compelling perspectives on how we learn, connect, and teach.

Admissions and Recruitment

VMCAS Is Now Open

The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) is now open for the 2026–2027 application cycle. Applicants can start here.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Spotlight: Community Wellbeing Room, Cornell University

The Community Wellbeing Room at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine seeks to ensure that cost or lack of equipment are not barriers for people to learn and practice activities that have research-backed physiological and psychological benefits; provides an easily accessible break from school, work, and technology; and increases opportunities from across the college to bond socially, over shared experience and interest.

Want to see your wellbeing program featured? If you have a program that improves the wellbeing of your academic environment, submit it for consideration as a future wellbeing spotlight. See previous spotlights

Also, did you miss AAVMC’s Working with Challenging Clients webinar? View the recording



Upcoming Events

Save the Date: Primary Care Veterinary Educators Symposium, October 19–22

Save the date for PCVE 2026! Registration will open midsummer.



Member News

Binghamton University Receives $2.5 Million to Help Develop Improved Avian Flu Vaccine
Binghamton University

Whole Genome Sequence Detects Hunnivirus in Bovine and Caprine Samples in North America

University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign

Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine 60th Anniversary "Diamond" Veterinary Medical Symposium

Tuskegee University

Rabbit Returns Home for Easter After Cancer Treatment

Washington State University

AAVMC aims to highlight the accomplishments of all member institutions. To be considered for the next Member News section, send your story to the AAVMC Marketing and Communications team.



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The AAVMC strives to create a culture of diversity and inclusion in every dimension of academic veterinary medicine. To foster this goal, the photographs and illustrations which are used in our communications programs are aspirational, and do not necessarily reflect the levels of diversity and inclusion that currently exist.