August 2022
News
AAVMC and FFAR Announce 2022 Cohort of Vet Fellows

The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) jointly announce the 2022 Cohort of FFAR Vet Fellows. FFAR builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing food insecurity and agriculture challenges. In 2018, FFAR teamed up with AAVMC to establish the FFAR Vet Fellows and integrate the fellowship with existing summer student research programs. This fellowship culminates at the AAVMC National Veterinary Scholars Symposium at the end of the summer. This program is open to domestic and international students currently enrolled in a DVM or VMD degree program, including combined degree programs. A list of the 2022 FFAR Vet Fellows can be found here.
AAVMC joins AAMC in support of Amicus Brief for Racial Diversity
The AAVMC joined along with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and 43 health professional and educational organizations to collectively submit an amicus curiae brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the limited consideration of an applicant’s racial or ethnic background or experiences in higher education admissions in the Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admission v. University of North Carolina (UNC) cases to go before the Court this fall.

The Harvard and UNC cases challenge the limited consideration of race and ethnicity in higher education admissions, the constitutionality of which has been upheld by the Supreme Court repeatedly for more than forty years.

While the plaintiffs ask the high court to overrule longstanding Supreme Court precedent, the AAMC supports the current rule of law. The amicus brief focuses on the particular importance of racial and ethnic diversity in the health professions in classrooms, labs, and clinical settings to improve the overall health of our nation.

AAVMC's support for these initiatives is in alignment with the organization's core values which include promoting increased diversity in the veterinary medical profession. Learn more about the brief here.
AAVMC Stakeholder Survey

Every three years AAVMC invites our members to weigh in and share insight into how we are doing. Please complete the survey by September 30th. Access the survey by visiting the link here. Thank You and we value your opinion and support!
Admissions and Recruitment Affairs
AAVMC contributes to book chapter on preparing the pre-vet student population

Diana L. Dabdub, Director for Admissions & Recruitment Affairs was a book chapter contributor along with Bernard M. Fischer, D.V.M., Ph.D., Duke University, Shweta Trivedi, BVSc, MVSc, PhD, North Carolina State University, (both faculty advisors for pre-veterinary student organizations at their respective schools) and Jacque Pelzer, DVM, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. The book chapter is calledAdvising Pre-Veterinary Students for the 21st Century.”

"The application process is nuanced, complex, and costly, which can often be a significant barrier to otherwise highly qualified students, particularly those from backgrounds underrepresented in the healthcare workforce. The purpose of the book is to inform and guide administrators, faculty, and staff in the development of students who wish to be future health professionals so they may best support students to successfully navigate the complex academic and professional development and application process."

The book is part of series “Handbook of Research" published by IGI Global

The co-editors of the book are Rohini Ganjoo, PhD, and Lisa Schwartz, EdD from George Washington University. 
Diversity and Inclusion

Webinar Series


Date: September 19th and 26th


Time: 3:00 PM EST


A Two-Part Series will be hosted in September focusing on Admissions Practices and Applicant Impact


Series 1 - A conversation to discuss the Admissions Cycle for 2021 and Outcomes featuring Dr. Lisa Greenhill and guests Dr. Jim Lloyd, Consultant and Diana Dabdub, Director of Admissions and Recruitment Affairs


Series 2 - A conversation to discuss the findings of an AAVMC survey on Admissions Practices conducted in 2021 featuring Dr. Lisa Greenhill and guests Dr. Hilda Mejia Abreu, Michigan State University and Dr. Flo Tseng, Tufts University.

Mark your calendar for our next Podcast episode scheduled for August 16th 3pm ET.

We will talk about the importance of Land Acknowledgements

Subscribe and catch up on the series here.
AAVMC Reads Bookclub will discuss Black, Brown, Bruised on August 25th at 4pm ET. Register here and tune in for asynchronous discussions leading up to the Zoom discussion within AAVMC Learn.
Wellbeing
AAVMC Board votes to establish new Wellbeing Advisory Committee

The newly established AAVMC Wellbeing Committee is an Advisory Committee to the Board of Directors. The Wellbeing Committee supports the AAVMC’s strategic goal of using data and evidence-based approaches to promote a climate of wellbeing throughout the academic veterinary medical community. The Wellbeing Committee is charged to: 
  • Assist in the development, promotion, and execution of activities outlined in the overarching Academic Veterinary Medicine Wellbeing Strategic Plan.
  • Provide relevant information to AAVMC initiatives, programs, committees, and task forces that contribute to the overall wellbeing efforts within the academic environment. 
  • Develop and/or collaborate on wellbeing-related conferences and symposia.
AAVMC is currently seeking volunteers to fill vacancy positions on the newly established Wellbeing Committee. Serving on an AAVMC committee is an opportunity to help shape the future of veterinary medical education! Any employee of an AAVMC member institution is eligible to serve on this committee. More about the committee charge and proposed composition are accessible here. Generally, all committee members commit to three years commencing after the AAVMC Annual Conference in March, but the Wellbeing Committee will begin meeting in October 2022. Please submit your application by September 2, 2022.
Professional Development
VetCAN

Looking for a job, internship, or fourth year externship? Connect with Small Animal Predominant Organizations across the nation.

OSU CVM is partnering with AAVMC's VetCAN to offer the Fall 2022 Small Animal Predominant Virtual Career Fair on September 24th from 1-4pm EST.

Register here now for access to practices and organizations across the nation. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to network and find externships and post-graduate positions, without any travel or cost. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Learn more through these tutorials:
National Veterinary Scholars Symposium

The 2022 National Veterinary Scholars Symposium (NVSS) held its first in-person meeting since 2019. With over 700 registered attendees and almost 600 scientific posters, the NVSS, hosted by the University of Minnesota, highlights the essential role of scientific research in veterinary medicine and provides veterinary medical students who have conducted original research through the summer scholars programs an opportunity to formally present their research in a professional environment. 

In addition to poster sessions highlighting the exciting and varied research being done by veterinary student scientists, the symposium featured a keynote by Dr. Vivek Kapur on SARS-CoV-2 Zoonoses and plenary presentations by Dr. Molly McCue and Dr. Danika Bannasch on Applications of Veterinary Genetics. The scientific program also included several mentoring sessions and a variety of scientific breakout sessions. More information on the program can be found on the NVSS website.

The NVSS also provides an opportunity for others within the veterinary academic research community to come together. The AVMA/AVMF Early Stage Investigator Award, the Combined Degree Colloquium, and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund’s Becoming Faculty Workshop were all held in conjunction with the NVSS. 

The AAVMC is grateful to all the sponsors who helped make this symposium a success and looks forward to the next symposium which will be August 3-5, 2023 in Puerto Rico.

Conference photos courtesy of Boehringer Ingelheim.
Attendees reviewing poster submissions
700+ attendees
Networking and Engagement
Spectrum of Care Initiative

The Spectrum of Care (SOC) Task Force has been diligently working to identify the competencies of a veterinary graduate prepared to provide a range of high-quality, affordable care options. To create an evidence-based foundation for this work, the Task Force is utilizing a three-pronged approach. The first involves collecting data through individualized structured interviews and a member institution-wide survey to establish the current landscape of SOC pedagogy across CVMs. Second, we are interviewing practitioners to help develop workplace-based metrics as part of our program evaluation strategy. Third, we are making connections across the profession to understand how SOC pedagogy can inform SOC practice and help address challenges within the veterinary profession, such as affordability and access to care. The Task Force will continue this work during an onsite meeting in October at The Ohio State University to establish a working draft of a SOC education model and prepare for an upcoming collaborative meeting with COVE to discuss mapping the SOC competencies onto the CBVE framework.

If anyone is interested in discussing how their program approaches training that prepares students to provide a range of high-quality treatment options to clients across socioeconomic backgrounds, please email Julie Noyes at [email protected]. In addition, we will be sending out a call for papers focused on SOC-related research to be presented at the AAVMC annual conference. Stay tuned for more information regarding submission criteria and our review process!
Reminders
AAVMC Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium Catalyze 2023: Call for Abstracts

Proposals for educational sessions should be submitted no later than September 1, 2022.

Proposals will be considered in the following categories:

Educational research
Curriculum
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Wellbeing
Innovation in education
Veterinary workforce
Recruitment and retention
Career pathways
Supporting the student experience
Climate change and education
One Health education

In keeping with AAVMC’s core values, a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in all categories is strongly encouraged.

The following attributes are encouraged for educational sessions:

Evidence-based presentations that examine research and survey trends
Presentations that feature interactive learning and/or small group discussion
Proposals from collaborative, multi-institutional teams
Incorporation of interprofessional perspectives
Proposals with a global focus

Submit abstracts here.

If desired, proposals can also be submitted for consideration on the AAVMC’s Learn virtual platform; selecting this option will have no impact on the selection process. Questions about the AAVMC Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium can be sent to the AAVMC Director for Professional Development, Dr. Caroline Cantner ([email protected]).
Staff News
New Staff Join AAVMC

On August 8th, Ms. Dina O'Rourke joined us as Manager for Meetings and Events. We look forward to her bringing our events and meetings to a new level. Dina bring over 20+ years in meetings and events and formerly worked for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
AAVMC in Action

Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe presents an AAVMC Update at the 2022 AVAP Conference hosted at Penn Vet, Philadelphia, PA
Western University of Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine for Class of 2026 White Coat Ceremony - Dr. Keith Rode, President of CVMA; Dean Phillip D. Nelson and Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe



Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe presents the 2022 AAVMC Communications Excellence Award to The Ohio State University staff- Right bottom photo
People in Motion

Dr. Agricola Odoi has been named assistant dean for The Office of Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. 

Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine has the following recent appointments:

Dr. Paul Plummer named Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies.

Dr. Jessica Ward named Assistant Dean of Academic and Student Affairs.


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The AAVMC is working hard 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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