AAVMC Relaunches VES as VetEd AAVMC in 2026 | | |
Opportunities for veterinary educators to gather, share insights, and explore best practices are essential to strengthening academic programs and preparing students for the evolving demands of veterinary practice.
To address this need, AAVMC is pleased to announce the relaunch of the Veterinary Educator Collaborative/Symposium in 2026—now reimagined as VetEd AAVMC, inspired by the internationally acclaimed VetEd model.
Building Community Through Education
Taking place June 3–5 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison under the theme "It Takes a Village," VetEd AAVMC is designed to foster a collaborative, supportive community of practice for veterinary educators by offering an inclusive, engaging, and affordable biennial event.
Open to all teaching professionals—including early- and mid-career faculty and veterinary technician educators—this event will create a space for meaningful exchange and professional growth. Participants will:
- Hear from peers and educational leaders
- Share innovative teaching practices and research
- Build lasting connections with like-minded educators
A call for abstracts will be announced November 3. Make plans now to submit your abstract.
| | AAVMC Scholarships Now Open, Support Your Students' Success | | |
Three scholarship opportunities are now open for your students:
Merck Animal Health Diversity Leadership Scholarship
This scholarship is aimed at second- and third-year veterinary students who have demonstrated a commitment to enhancing diversity and have addressed inequities and underrepresentation in the veterinary field. Up to 16 scholarships will be awarded, with each recipient receiving a one-time payment of $10,000, payable directly to their institution. Applications are due November 4.
Chewy Veterinary Leaders Program
This program is designed for second-year veterinary students from underserved groups who have shown leadership potential and are keen to grow their leadership skills. Fifteen students will be selected for the 2026 cohort, each receiving a $20,000 scholarship, along with resources to support their career development. Applications are due November 4.
The Zoetis Foundation/AAVMC Veterinary Student Scholarship
The Zoetis Foundation/AAVMC Veterinary Student Scholarship was developed to offset educational expenses related to attaining a veterinary education. The program focuses on addressing student debt, which may greatly impact the future of the veterinary profession. More than 200 scholarships worth $7,000 each will be awarded to students at U.S. and Caribbean AAVMC institutional member organizations. Applications are due December 11.
| | SOC Spotlight: Who Should Be on Your SOC Curriculum Change Team? | |
Successful curricular change takes more than one leader. It takes a diverse, well-structured leadership team.
The SOC Implementation Strategies Guide includes the resource “Who Should Be on the SOC Curriculum Team?” This practical resource will help you
- Recruit the right mix of leaders, including faculty, staff, and students
- Define clear roles and responsibilities
- Structure subgroups to plan, implement, and sustain SOC change
Strong teams drive strong outcomes.
| | |
Your feedback helps AAVMC keep our resources, like the SOC Implementation Strategies Guide, relevant to the needs of the veterinary education community. Complete this brief survey to let us know what you think.
| | New JAVMA Article Highlights AAVMC’s Spectrum of Care Initiative | |
We are proud to share a newly published article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, authored by AAVMC staff and member volunteers, “The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges Spectrum of Care Initiative: Supporting Spectrum of Care Preparation in Veterinary Education Programs.”
With AAVMC's Heather Fedesco, PhD, as lead author, the article outlines how AAVMC leveraged the Ecosystem Model of Systemic Change Leadership to advance the Spectrum of Care (SOC) initiative. It also introduces the SOC Implementation Strategies Guide—a comprehensive, evidence-based resource designed to help veterinary programs prepare students for SOC-aligned practice.
| | AAVMC Launches My AAVMC, New Gateway to a Personalized AAVMC Experience | | |
We are pleased to announce our new portal, My AAVMC, is now live!
This new portal marks Phase 2 of our two-part initiative. While Phase 1, the redesigned AAVMC website, was introduced last month with a more engaging focus for you, this second phase builds upon that progress by providing you with a more streamlined and efficient platform to engage with us. Together, these enhancements represent a coordinated effort to elevate your experience with AAVMC.
| |
How to Get Started
-
Go to AAVMC Members Password Reset
- Set your new password. Enter the email you primarily use for AAVMC purposes. You will receive an email with a link to reset your password and create a new one.
- Log in. Access the My AAVMC portal using your AAVMC email and new password.
- Update your profile. Review your contact details, organization, and interests. Keeping your profile updated will help AAVMC connect you with the right opportunities, resources, and member benefits.
- Explore the directories. Browse member institutions and AAVMC communities.
If you have any questions about this new experience, email us.
| | AAVMC Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month | | Mitsie Vargas, DVM, President of Latinx Veterinary Medical Association (LVMA), joined Lisa Greenhill, EdD, on AAVMC’s “On Air” podcast for an inspiring Hispanic Heritage Month conversation about identity, representation, and what it truly means to create space for Latinx voices in veterinary medicine. From growing up in Puerto Rico and finding her way to Tuskegee, to leading a thriving practice and championing cultural inclusivity, Vargas shares stories that reflect grit, pride, and the rich diversity of the Hispanic community. | | |
AAVMC Announces Embedded Counseling Working Group in Honor of World Mental Health Day
| | |
In recognition of World Mental Health Day, October 10, AAVMC highlighted the work of our Embedded Counseling Working Group. This dedicated group of professionals is committed to advancing the wellbeing of veterinary students and academic communities by developing guidelines that support the integration of counseling resources directly within colleges of veterinary medicine.
The World Federation for Mental Health established World Mental Health Day in 1992 to raise global awareness about mental health issues and mobilize efforts to support mental health. Embedded counseling models bring mental health services closer to students, faculty, and staff, meeting people where they are and normalizing support services. The Embedded Counseling Working Group is excited to help support these important programs by providing guidance on creating effective and sustainable embedded counseling programs. Their leadership reflects the values of responsiveness, accessibility, and innovation in mental health care, principles that resonate deeply with the mission of World Mental Health Day.
By highlighting their contributions, we celebrate the global call to action around mental health and affirm our commitment to fostering healthier, more supportive learning environments within veterinary education.
| | AAVMC Committee Nominations Open November 10 | | |
AAVMC is gearing up to open nominations for volunteers to serve on its committees and councils.
Serving as an AAVMC volunteer is an inspiring way to shape the future of academic veterinary medicine through collaboration, advocacy, and innovation. You’ll join a network of passionate colleagues driving meaningful progress across the global veterinary education community.
Individuals employed at AAVMC member institutions are encouraged to self-nominate or be nominated by their dean. Your voice matters—and your involvement helps define the next chapter of academic veterinary medicine.
Committees with Open Positions
Councils with Open Positions
All committees have a three-year term and require approximately 2–4 hours of committee work per month, unless otherwise stated.
Nominations will open November 10.
| | Save the Date: 2026 AAVMC Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, April 16–18 | |
Mark your calendar for the 2026 Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, taking place April 16–18 in Washington, D.C.
This premier event brings together leaders in academic veterinary medicine to explore various topics, including admissions, academic affairs, Competency-Based Veterinary Education, international veterinary education, institutional health, interprofessional collaboration, and more.
| | |
-
Sign up to receive the Vet-Med Educator in your inbox here. See past issues here.
-
Sign up here to receive FOCUS, our annual newsletter that examines prominent issues in academic veterinary medicine. See past issues here.
-
Sign up for our Advocacy newsletter here. Read past issues here.
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.
| | | | |
