AAVMC Champions Workforce Development | | Cain (right) with George Zangaro, PhD, RN, FAAN, and Rachel Minahan at the recent briefing. | | |
AAVMC continues to advocate for academic veterinary medicine through its membership in the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC), which supports federal funding for Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII and Title VIII workforce development programs. These programs help strengthen the health professions workforce by supporting initiatives such as workforce diversity and early-career training grants that benefit veterinary medicine.
On June 3, Kevin Cain, AAVMC's Senior Director for Governmental Affairs, attended HPNEC's congressional briefing, "Securing the Nation's Health Workforce: The Critical Role of the HRSA Title VII and Title VIII Programs." The event brought together policymakers and health professions leaders to advocate for continued authorization and robust funding of these programs, highlighting their role in expanding access to care, addressing workforce shortages, and supporting the next generation of health professionals.
For more news and updates from AAVMC Governmental Affairs, subscribe to our quarterly newsletter: Advocacy Insights.
| | AAVMC Releases New Grab-and-Go Kit on Effective Feedback | | |
Now Available on AAVMC Learn: CBVE® Grab-and-Go Kit on Effective Feedback in Veterinary Education
AAVMC has released the first in a series of "Grab-and-Go Kits." The kits are ready-to-use workshops designed to support faculty, staff, and student development in competency-based veterinary education (CBVE). Each kit is downloadable, adaptable, and includes supplemental CBVE resources to make implementation easy. The first kit in the series focuses on effective feedback.
Use this Grab-and-Go Kit to:
- Facilitate a training session for veterinary educators on providing effective feedback in veterinary education.
- Lead activities that highlight strategies for delivering feedback, including the ADAPT model.
- Demonstrate approaches for integrating feedback into the CBVE Model, including competencies, milestones, and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), within a clinical curriculum.
Grab-and-Go Kits are free and publicly available via AAVMC Learn. Kits are authored by members of the AAVMC CBVE Activate Working Group. They will be released as they are completed. Please check each kit for guidance on proper attribution when adapting the materials.
| | Top Educators Convene at VetEd AAVMC | | AAVMC CEO Emma Read, DVM, MVSc, DACVS, welcomes VetEd AAVMC attendees. (Photo via University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine) | | |
The inaugural VetEd AAVMC conference brought over 200 veterinary educators to Madison, Wisconsin, from June 3-5 for a collaborative and engaging professional development experience.
As the first VetEd-style meeting in North America, the event focused on advancing excellence in veterinary education through shared learning and innovation. Centered on the theme “It Takes a Village,” the conference encouraged idea-sharing and networking with the goal of inspiring attendees to bring new ideas and connections back to their institutions.
Attendees participated in sessions on innovative and evidence-based teaching practices, curriculum development, longevity in the veterinary professions, and spectrum of care pedagogy and curricular change. Keynote presentations provided practical insights into the science of learning and neurodiversity in the veterinary field. Participants strengthened their skills as educators, education scholars, and academic leaders while helping to shape the future of veterinary education.
Thank you to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine for hosting this event and to our sponsors, Intelligent Video Solutions, Mars Veterinary Health, Nestle Purina Pet Care, and the Stanton Foundation.
The next VetEd AAVMC conference is planned for 2028.
| | AAVMC Publishes 2026 Cost Comparison Tool | | The Cost Comparison Tool is a free resource from AAVMC that presents several key financial data points for prospective students to consider when applying to veterinary school. | | SOC Guide Emphasizes Sustaining Curricular Change | | |
Successfully implementing spectrum of care curricular changes requires more than initial momentum. The Spectrum of Care Implementation Strategies Guide provides resources and tools to help institutions plan for lasting change through continued investment in culture, infrastructure, and institutional priorities.
To keep progress moving forward:
- Secure and align resources through funding, grants, and leadership support.
- Incentivize engagement by connecting SOC efforts to promotion, recognition, and professional development.
- Share and reflect on the evidence you’re gathering.
- Stay responsive to emerging needs throughout the process.
And just as importantly, recognize the human side of change. This work can be demanding, so celebrating milestones along the way helps sustain energy, prevent burnout, and reinforce progress.
Sustained curricular change doesn’t happen overnight—but with intentional effort, it lasts.
| | Admissions and Recruitment | | Registration Now Open for AAVMC Virtual Fair | | The AAVMC Veterinary Medical School Virtual Fair returns on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, from 12—5 pm ET. | |
For AAVMC Member Institutions
Promote your veterinary medical program and engage directly with prospective students exploring careers in veterinary medicine.
Reserve a virtual booth: Institution Registration
For Prospective Veterinary Students
Connect with VMCAS representatives, admissions officers, and current veterinary students from Colleges and Schools of Veterinary Medicine — all in one virtual event.
Learn more about:
- Veterinary school prerequisites.
- Required experiences.
- The VMCAS application process.
- Individual veterinary programs.
Register to attend: Student Registration
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| Podcast Episode Addresses Marijuana Use in Vet Colleges | | |
A recent episode of AAVMC's On Air featured a topic many veterinary colleges are having to grapple with, as more states legalize marijuana and it becomes more widely available: navigating marijuana use within colleges of veterinary medicine.
Catch up on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, or YouTube.
| | Save the Date: Primary Care Veterinary Educators Symposium, October 19–22 | Save the date for PCVE 2026! Registration will open midsummer. | | Coming Soon: Abstract Submission for AAVMC Catalyze 2027 | | Next month, we will open abstract submissions for our 2027 annual conference, AAVMC Catalyze. Stay tuned for more details. | | AAVMC Staff Appointed to ASAE Councils | | |
AAVMC Associate Director for Professional Development Monique Pierce, M.Ed., was invited to serve on the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Professional Development Advisory Council.
Pierce will advise ASAE on how best to serve its Professional Development community, focusing on the needs, issues, and trends in education, learning, and credentialing.
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Brooklind Norman, AAVMC Program Coordinator, has been appointed to the ASAE Advocacy Council.
Norman will support ASAE's government relations and advocacy priorities while helping strengthen programs, services, and member engagement.
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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.
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