The U.S. Labor workforce has seen its share of increased stress and uncertainty among workers over the last two years with a pandemic that quietly continues despite massive preventative measures. In addition to a human pandemic, the U.S. is facing one of the worst deadly bird flu outbreaks in years. The risks to humans are low, but millions of poultry and wild birds have been killed. Consumers are likely to feel the impact in their pockets at the grocery store as poultry is 20-30% higher. The livelihoods of producers will also be impacted because of these losses. The veterinary community is working along farmers and scientists to combat and resolve this problem. Watch the PBS News Hour national coverage on this outbreak here.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and AAVMC recognizes the importance of encouraging overall wellbeing through physical and mental health among the veterinary profession. Veterinarians deserve as much support and care as the animals they treat. The emotional toll on practitioners may lead to depression and/or “compassion fatigue.” The last two and a half years have stretched many people to capacity as they accept the new normal of both living and work. The ups and downs of the economy, political and social unrest, racial violence, global concerns, and the continuous navigation of an unending pandemic have left us all exhausted. As educators and veterinary professionals managing covid protocols, virtual meeting fatigue, economic inflation, and on-going professional and personal demands it is easy to miss the light at the end of the tunnel. We encourage you to review these resources available as tools to support you on your daily journey. Connect with AAVMC Wellbeing.

We are pleased to release the most recent collection of data for the 2021-2022 academic year. The report includes data on faculty, students, applicants and tuition from the U.S. schools and colleges of veterinary medicine. Some data sets also include information from our Canadian and international members. Access the Public Data Report here.

There is still time to submit for the AAVMC Communications Excellence Award. Submissions will be accepted through May 31st, 2022. Learn more here.

In support of AAVMC’s strategic goal to recruit and develop future generations of veterinarians, we are excited to share the recent addition of a partnership with HOSA. HOSA is a global, student-led organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services and several federal and state agencies. Members are middle school, high school, postsecondary, and collegiate students. HOSA’s mission is to empower HOSA-Future Health Professionals to become leaders in the global health community, through education, collaboration, and experience. HOSA actively promotes career opportunities in the health professions. AAVMC will be the exclusive sponsor of the Veterinary Science event at the 2022 International Leadership Conference June 22-25 in Nashville, Tennessee. Additionally, AAVMC will sponsor a host of additional activities over the course of the next fiscal year. This partnership will help continue to optimize our efforts to reach diverse communities and expose the veterinary profession to the emerging young professional. An expansive update will be shared in the next edition.

If you missed the episode released on 5/11/22 with Dr. Janet Donlin, CEO of AVMA, talking about the plan to improve diversity in veterinary medicine, check it out and stay tuned for next episode on 5/18/22 on Professionalism. Subscribe and catch up on the series here.

AAVMC is running a social media campaign to educate and raise awareness on how mental health and wellbeing are connected. Did you know that people tend to thrive in supportive work environments? What can you do as a colleague to be supportive? Check out three things that can help encourage support which can improve wellbeing.

The Annual Primary Care Veterinary Education (PCVE) Symposium was recently hosted at the Oklahoma State University over April 20-23rd. More than 50 guests from both academia and industry were in attendance. This year’s workshops included talks around mentorship, resilience, and clinical teaching tools. “Hosting this year’s Primary Care Educator’s Symposium was a rewarding experience. Oklahoma State has a beautiful campus, especially in the spring, and I enjoyed showing off our program here to my academic and industry colleagues,” says Dr. Paul DeMars. This year’s meeting was sponsored by Boehringer Ingeheim, Hill’s and Idexx Laboratories.

Workshops and talks from the 2022 AAVMC Catalyze Conference will be available to registered attendees at no cost through AAVMC Learn. Conference registrants will receive notification of their access via email the week of May 23, 2022. Those who did not register may purchase conference access starting May 23, 2022. For more information or questions, please contact Dr. Caroline Cantner, Director for Professional Development.

AAVMC Leadership Academy

The AAVMC Leadership Academy will continue in hybrid format this year with two in-person meetings and monthly virtual sessions. Learn more about the AAVMC Leadership Academy here. The nomination process for 2022-23 will open in late May and all nominations are received directly from the office of the Dean or Head of School at our member institutions. Thanks to generous sponsorship from Elanco Animal Health, there is no registration cost for the AAVMC Leadership Academy. Please contact your dean’s office for more information on your University’s specific nomination process. For more information or questions, please contact Dr. Caroline Cantner, Director for Professional Development.

Scholarship applications for the Chairs and Academic Administrators Management Program (CAAMP), produced by Academy for Advancing Leadership (AAL) are closed. Anyone who missed the scholarship application can still register here.

The Veterinary Educator Collaborative (VEC) is coming up on June 28-30, 2022, at Kansas State University. Registration is open now. Register here

Registration opens later this May for the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium. This year’s event will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 2-6, 2022. Learn more here.

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