There is overall agreement that veterinary medical education as a profession is facing issues related to wellbeing that are impacting not only students but the entire academic community. There is an opportunity to create change that would address these issues at an organizational level using evidence-based approaches. AAVMC received funding from the newly established Zoetis Foundation to develop a program over the next year that provides a pathway for volunteer institutions to move towards organizational, structural change that supports an inclusive climate of wellbeing. This program will focus on supporting the efforts of member institutions wanting to develop and implement preventative measures by looking at the systems, policies, and environments to mitigate distress and enhance wellbeing. Program participants will have access to experts in design-thinking, organizational change management, and evidence-based practices in organizational wellbeing. With this program guiding and empowering member institutions, participants will have the opportunity to shape the future of veterinary medical education around the world. Additional information will be provided once development is complete.

In collaboration with the Veterinary Mental Health Initiative (VMHI) based out of The Shanti Group, and also generously funded by the Zoetis Foundation, the Well On Our Way program is a wellbeing webinar series being developed and curated from the best wellbeing professionals in veterinary medicine with applicable, evidence-based, and timely skill building to help veterinarians, both in academia and beyond, be “well on their way” throughout their careers. This program will be a monthly webinar series that amplifies the curriculum from VMHI from their evidence-based peer-support model program to students and the general veterinary population. This webinar series will provide products that educators and learners can rely on and have confidence in – not just within veterinary colleges but also throughout the profession as lifelong learners. VMHI provides an empathetic and supportive program to help professional peers navigate through similar challenges. They emphasize processing stress and grief, learning effective coping skills, implementing a healthier work-life relationship, and renewing a love for veterinary medicine. Additional information will be provided once development is complete.

Calling all communications professionals in the field of academic veterinary medicine. Here is your chance to be recognized for your work. Submissions will be accepted starting April 15th through May 31st. Learn more here.

As part of AAVMC’s strategic plan to “promote a climate of wellbeing throughout academic veterinary medicine,” the Clinician Wellbeing Initiative, sponsored by Zoetis, Inc., seeks to establish national-level data related to the wellbeing of house officers, faculty/clinicians, and students and provide organizational recommendations for our member institutions and for future research. In April 2022, AAVMC will launch our first national Veterinary Student Wellbeing Study. The purpose of this study is to identify the wellbeing-related concerns and protective factors present within veterinary medical education for students. This study recognizes the systemic environment that students navigate and will focus on environmental factors influencing their wellbeing – particularly around the topics of physical health, mental and emotional health, help-seeking, and the learning environment. The Intern/Resident Wellbeing Study was conducted in 2020, and the Faculty & Clinician Wellbeing Study was conducted in 2021 with the data findings and recommendations being initially presented at AAVMC’s Annual Meeting in 2021 and 2022. These national-level studies will be conducted every two years to assess longitudinal data trends in the academic and training space. To view the presentations related to the completed studies, please check out AAVMC Learn!

Students applying through the Veterinary Medicine Centralized Application Service (VMCAS™) — created by Liaison and used by nearly every veterinary school in the United States — will now be able to use the Time2Track app to streamline the often-time-consuming process of tracking, documenting and sharing relevant experience hours as part of veterinary school applications. Learn more here.

This program is open to pre-vet students, faculty, staff, technicians, residents, practicing veterinarians and more. These online certificate programs are designed for people with demanding schedules. Complete a combination of distance learning, life experiences, and reflections to build your skill sets. Certificates and Continuing Education credit are available upon completion. AAVMC offers a 1:1 match for faculty and/or staff registrations for the program, which allows colleges to get 2 registrations for the price of 1! Learn more here.

Stay tuned for upcoming episodes of Diversity & Inclusion on Air. Subscribe and catch up on the series here.

Congratulations to our 2022 CIVME Research Grant and MSD Antimicrobial Stewardship Grant winners! Details on the next application cycle will be shared soon.

Sarah Corner, Michigan State University - Initiation of a Global Collaborative Veterinary Telemedicine Program to Enhance Veterinary Education and Diagnostics

Rebecca Garabed, Ohio State University - Non-University Veterinary Educational Trips

Jane Manfredi, Michigan State University - Evaluating International Approaches to Teaching Core Concepts in Veterinary Radiology Positioning

Nayana Wijayawardhane, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka – Generating Veterinary Student Ambassadors to Combat Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes in Four Veterinary Schools in the World

AAL in collaboration with AAVMC is pleased to announce the 2022 Chairs and Academic Administrators Management Program (CAAMP): Emerging Leaders in Veterinary Medicine Tuition Scholarship – four scholarships will be awarded. Apply for the scholarship here. Apply by May 6, 2022. The program will be held in Atlanta, GA from July 17-19, 2022.

The IPEC Interprofessional Leadership Development Program (ILDP) is a three-day, interactive professional development experience, distinguished by an emphasis on leading in an interprofessional environment. Facilitated by the Academy for Advancing Leadership (AAL), the ILDP engages leaders responsible for the development, implementation, and assessment of campus-wide interprofessional education (IPE) initiatives, and residency/fellowship leaders in IPE for collaborative practice (IPECP).

Learn more here.

The AAVMC would like to thank The Stanton Foundation, created by Dr. Frank Stanton, long-time president of CBS, for providing generous support for the 2022 AAVMC Annual Conference. With the support of the foundation, the AAVMC coordinated a symposium that included updates on important AAVMC initiatives, presentations focused on spectrum of care and the competency-based veterinary education framework, as well as a round table discussion inviting the veterinary education community to discuss strategies in clinical education. Ultimately, The Stanton Foundation helped bring together a variety of sessions focused on collaboratively improving veterinary education with a focus on spectrum of care.

World Veterinary Day is April 30th and is designated to celebrate the contributions of veterinarians around the world for the health of animals, people and the environment. Learn more and apply for a World Veterinary Day Award here.

AAVMC welcomes two new provisional members: University of Nottingham and University of Liverpool.

AAVMC wants to encourage its members to ENGAGE with each other. Please take time to connect with your colleagues and counterparts in academic veterinary medicine through AAVMC Connect. These communities are most frequently engaging: AAVMC Assembly; Academic Affairs; and AAVMC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. When’s the last time you updated your profile, bio and have you added a new headshot recently? Connect, Engage and Network!!!

Thank You to all our members who recently completed a committee term for their service.

University of Florida (UF) Veterinary College - Michael Mison, D.V.M., will become associate dean for clinical services for small animal operations; and Chris Sanchez, D.V.M., Ph.D., who has led the UF Veterinary Hospitals as interim associate dean for clinical services since December 2019, will become associate dean for clinical services for large animal operations and will be responsible for the UF Large Animal Hospital in Gainesville, the UF Veterinary Hospital at World Equestrian Center in Ocala, and the UF Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories.

FFAR

Zoetis Foundation Announces Grants to Advance Farmer, Veterinarian Education Effingham Daily News

Medical News

US News & World Report

Newsweek

Medical Xpress

Success Treating Night Blindness in Dogs Could Lead to Human Gene Therapy Technology.org

Medical News

Henry Vilas Zoo Takes Major Precautions as Avian Flu Claims the Lives of Millions of Birds NBC15-WMTV

Addressing Concerns of a Dwindling Veterinary Labor Force: Steps Toward Sustainability DVM360 (opinion)

There’s a Contagious Disease Infecting Dogs Across South Florida. Here’s What to Know Miami Herald

Technology.org

Wisconsin Public Radio

Nation Talk

MSN

DVM 360

Dogs Articles Liner

CBS-58, WDJT

Courier Post

Vettimes

The Sun

K-State Research Suggests Probiotics May Pose Risks to Animal, Human Health Farms.com

Technology Networks

The Topeka Capital-Journal

JAVMA News

Cornell University

Louisiana State University

University of Guelph

Purdue University

University of Wisconsin

Washington State University

Kansas State University

Washington State University

Kansas State University

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