Merck Animal Health to Sponsor Two AAVMC Initiatives that Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Merck Animal Health will sponsor two American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) initiatives that are designed to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI): a fee waiver program for economically disadvantaged students to apply to veterinary medical school and a scholarship for a student who demonstrates outstanding leadership in support of DEI. Learn more here.

The AAVMC is pleased to announce a $1.3 million grant awarded from The Stanton Foundation. This grant will support the development of an education model focused on competency outcomes, assessment strategies and learning experiences to prepare graduates with the competence and confidence to practice and treat patients across the spectrum of care in veterinary medicine. Learn more here.

The AAVMC is partnering with Future Health Professionals (HOSA) to sponsor a veterinary science competition at HOSA’s 2022 International Leadership Conference, June 22-25 in Nashville, Tennessee.

HOSA is a global, student-led organization that promotes health industry career opportunities.

The event is part of a year-long sponsorship that is designed to generate maximum visibility for the veterinary medical profession and provide young people interested in veterinary science with role models, mentors, and the most up-to date materials available to help them make informed career choices. Learn more here.

If you missed the episode of Diversity & Inclusion on Air released on 5/18/22 with Amanda Bates, Director of Veterinary Career Services and Professional Development of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, it is worth the listen. This episode talks about the construct of professionalism and "Is Professionalism Inclusive?"

Tune in on Wednesday, June 15th for "Pride VMC and Wellbeing." Check out the episode and stay tuned for more upcoming episodes. Subscribe and catch up on the series here.

In celebration of Pride Month, AAVMC in partnership with Pride VMC, is hosting a Film Festival on June 29th at 6 p.m. Register here to receive the Zoom link and tune in. Watch all four movies or as many as you can. Plan a movie marathon with your friends or colleagues and see how many of these movies you can watch!

AAVMC’s Accepted Student Wellbeing Course is targeted at helping accepted students think critically and holistically about their wellbeing prior to arriving to veterinary medical school. Students, faculty, and student affairs staff can access the course through the AAVMC’s new online learning management system AAVMC Learn. The goal of this course is to establish a baseline knowledge of wellbeing for incoming students; its connection to diversity, equity, and inclusion; create a unified sense of “emotional readiness” and language related to wellbeing; and help students create their wellbeing care-plans prior to arriving on campus. The course is available in five languages and closed captions. Members can instruct students to take the course independently and submit the certificate of completion to their college, or the college can request a group registration for their incoming class allowing them to track their students’ progress. Members can also look forward to another course being created regarding student wellbeing and the transition into their clinical year. For answers to questions or feedback related to the course, please contact AAVMC Director for Wellbeing Makenzie Peterson at mpeterson@aavmc.org.

Catalyze 2022, AAVMC's Annual Meeting, is now available on-demand through AAVMC Learn! If you already registered, your access is included in your registration fee. If you missed Catalyze 2022 you now have the option to purchase on demand content through AAVMC Learn. The link to the course is here.

Please click here to access our support center if you have any questions regarding accessing this content.

The AAVMC is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for faculty and students to share their work and ideas during the Catalyze 2023 Conference, March 9-11, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Proposals for educational sessions should be submitted no later than September 1, 2022.

Proposals will be considered in the following categories:

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:

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 (ccantner@aavmc.org).

The 2022 National Veterinary Scholars Symposium (NVSS) registration is now open! This year’s symposium is hosted by the University of Minnesota and will be held in-person at the St. Paul River Centre from August 4-6, 2022. We look forward to seeing everyone in Minnesota this summer! Please visit the NVSS website for more information and to register for this year’s symposium. Questions can be sent to NVSS@aavmc.org.

The call for nominations for the AAVMC Communications Excellence Award has closed. Stay tuned for an announcement of the winner. The award will be presented at the AVAP meeting in Philadelphia, PA on July 29th, 2022.

The nomination period for the 2022-23 AAVMC Leadership Academy is now open. This year’s program will include two in-person meetings and live synchronous virtual meetings, as well as asynchronous learning opportunities. More information on the AAVMC Leadership Academy can be found here. Nominations must be received directly from the Office of the Dean or Head of School at one of our full member institutions. The nomination deadline is July 17, 2022. Please contact Caroline Cantner, Director for Professional Development (ccantner@aavmc.org) with any questions.

Two new team members have been hired to support the Spectrum of Care Initiative led by Dr. Julie Noyes, Director for Academic Affairs, Executive Director of The Spectrum of Care Initiative.

Heather N. Fedesco, Ph.D.

Dr. Heather Fedesco will be joining the AAVMC on June 15, 2022, as the Assistant Director of the Spectrum of Care Initiative. Dr. Fedesco earned her Ph.D. in Interpersonal Communication at Purdue University. Dr. Fedesco will work with the Executive Director of the Spectrum of Care Initiative to plan the detailed steps required to create an educational model and implementation guidelines for instruction related to spectrum of care.

Dr. Jessica Brodsky will be joining the AAVMC on June 22, 2022, as the Educational Researcher for the Spectrum of Care Initiative. Dr. Brodsky earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at CUNY, New York and holds a certificate in Interactive Technology and Pedagogy. Dr. Brodsky will apply her advanced knowledge of educational research methods and statistics to produce data that informs evidence-based recommendations for instruction and assessment strategies in veterinary education.

AVMA hires its first Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Dr. Latonia Craig of Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Craig will be the AVMA’s staff liaison for the AVMA/AAVMC’s Commission for a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Veterinary Profession and will lead collaboration with AVMA members, state and allied veterinary organizations, affinity groups, and other stakeholders. AAVMC looks forward to working collaboratively with Dr. Craig on aligned priorities.

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