Registrants attending the 2020 AAVMC Annual Conference will have plenty of opportunities to hear from leading experts, share perspectives and network during the conference this week. But they’ll also notice a few structural changes and improvements designed to make the meeting more engaging. Advance registration is closed for the 2020 AAVMC Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., but walk-in registration will be available commencing on Thursday, March 5 at 7 a.m. Learn more.

Several individuals who have made special contributions to the AAVMC will be honored with AAVMC Presidential Awards for Meritorious Service during the 2020 Annual Conference. Each member of the Competency Based Veterinary Education (CBVE) Working Group will receive the award in recognition of the historic work in academic veterinary medicine that has been accomplished by the group. Also, the co-directors of the AAVMC Leadership Academy will each receive the award. Dr. Darcy Shaw, professor emeritus, Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC), University of Prince Edward Island, Canada; and Dr. Karen Cornell, a professor and Associate Dean for Professional Programs at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences will be honored. Learn more.

For job seekers, virtual career fairs are a great way to review job opportunities without the cost or inconvenience of travel. For employers, they’re a practical and efficient way to identify and reach out to top-quality candidates. On Saturday, March 28, 1 - 4 p.m. EST, the Veterinary Career Advisor Network (VetCAN) will present a DVM Virtual Career Fair for job-seeking students and alumni from AAVMC member institutions. Learn more. To register for the DVM Career Fair, click here.

The newest cohort of future leaders in academic veterinary medicine will wrap up their year-long experience in the AAVMC’s Leadership Academy this week during the annual conference in Washington. This year marks an important transition for the Leadership Academy as we thank Dr. Karen Cornell and Dr. Darcy Shaw for their years of service as Leadership Academy Directors and welcome Dr. Rod Bagley as the new, incoming Leadership Academy Director. Those interested in learning more about the AAVMC Leadership Academy are invited to contact the Leadership Committee staff liaison Dr. Caroline Cantner ( [email protected]). Learn more.

The AAVMC recently launched a new round of webinars and a Virtual Admissions Fair designed to provide high school students and college students with the information and tools they need to successfully apply to veterinary medical school. The series kicked off in February and the next webinar, “Advising the Veterinary Student,” will take place on March 25 at 1 p.m. EST. That webinar is geared toward pre-vet and pre-med advisors to help them better understand the application process and will provide them with tools to help students. At a Virtual Admissions Fair on March 31, participants will be able to chat online with admissions representatives from AAVMC member institutions and VMCAS representatives, learn more about the application process and compare opportunities among schools and colleges. Learn more.

Mars Petcare and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), with support from a broad consortium of partners including the AAVMC, have released a milestone report on how pets and the human/animal bond can address loneliness and social isolation. The report provides a roadmap for advancing research and best practices. The new report, Addressing the Social Isolation and Loneliness Epidemic with the Power of Companion Animals brings forward the recommendations from the Summit on Social Isolation and Companion Animals, along with the continued work of a broad consortium of human health advocates, mental health practitioners, veterinarians and human-animal interaction researchers. Learn more.