 President's Message
Where have we been and where are we going?
 As the AARV enters its 8th year, I am honored to be your president for the next 12 months and privileged to be taking over the reigns from Dr. Rosemary LoGiudice, who has done an outstanding job as president and been a true role model of a leader. Under Dr. LoGiudice's leadership, the AARV accomplished several important and exciting initiatives. A few highlights from 2014:
- Full-day AARV sponsored lecture tracks at NAVC and STAAR
- Pet insurance policy update - Ever wonder what rehabilitation services each pet insurance company covers? We have the answers at rehabvets.org
- Newly designed memorial cards - proceeds of these sales go to the AARV research grant!
- Growth of our membership to more than 400 members!
- Initiation of the Strategic Plan.
This last bullet point is one that leads us in to 2015 and sets the stage for where the AARV is heading over the years to come. A strategic plan is a road map of where an organization is going, including the actions required to navigate the roads and achieve the goals set forth.
Before I talk about where we are going, I want to be clear that we are all on the AARV bus together - veterinarians, technicians, students, and sponsors. The AARV is a resource for, and representation of, our members. The board of directors must hear your needs and understand how the organization can help you in your practice of veterinary rehabilitation in order to be effective. We will be conducting a survey of new and current members this year in order to gather basic but crucial information. Please watch for additional details on this survey in the February newsletter.
So, where is it that the AARV wants to go? This question is answered in our updated vision statement:
For veterinary rehabilitation to be an integral part of comprehensive patient care, and to establish AARV as the leading provider of education and resources in this field.
Please look for additional details on the strategic plan in this and future newsletters.
Thank you for the opportunity to be your bus driver for the next year. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns, ideas or interest in being more involved in the AARV.
Sincerely,
Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, CCRT
Diplomate ACVS & ACVSMR
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 Past President's Message
Greetings everyone!
It has been my privilege and honor to have served as the president of AARV this past year. Part of what makes it such an honor is the great group of colleagues who serve on the AARV Board of Directors (BOD) and all of you colleagues who are members of AARV.
Thank you for allowing me to try to represent you and help continue to encourage growth of the AARV.
One of the many things your BOD has worked on this past year, and continues to work on, is strategic planning to make your AARV the most relevant organization possible.
An important part of making AARV more relevant is making sure that "mainstream" veterinary medicine groups are aware of the emerging field of veterinary rehabilitation and the resulting benefits for all veterinary patients. Your AARV BOD wants to tap into you, our members, to provide State VMAs with a list of potential speakers on various rehabilitation topics. The AARV is contacting each State VMA to provide them a list of potential speakers and topics for consideration in their upcoming conventions or meetings and events.
If YOU are interested in being considered as a speaker in your or another state, please send your name and state (states) in which you would speak, as well as potential rehabilitation topics to AARV Legislative Liaison Kristyn Richardson (rehabvetdoc@gmail.com).
Some potential topics (50 minutes or so each, and possible "wet labs") are:
- Introduction to rehabilitation: How can my patients benefit?
- Physical therapy diagnostic techniques. What can they find that I cannot?
- Therapeutic Exercises
- Therapeutic Modalities used in Veterinary Rehabilitation
- Additional "advanced" topics are available upon request
The AARV annual lecture track at NAVC on January 19, 2015 was another great success. Some of the lecture abstracts will be included in the February newsletter.
The annual meeting over the noontime was well attended, with lucky attendee Dr. Betsy Bialon winning a brand new iPad Mini in a drawing.
2015 is off to a great start for AARV as Dr. Kristin Kirkby Shaw has taken over as president. Read about all the AARV activities and events in upcoming Constant Contact Newsletters, and contact Kristyn Richardson with your contact information about being a possible speaker!
Thank you again for being part of AARV with me.
Rosemary J. LoGiudice, DVM, CCRT, CVA, CVSMT, CAC
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AARV Launches Strategic Planning Process
The board of directors of AARV has created a Strategic Planning Task Force that has initiated the process of creating a strategic plan to assist the Association in pursuing our mission and vision. Creating and implementing a clearly defined strategic plan is critical to AARV's sustainability, growth and financial viability. It will provide direction and focus for the organization and align constituents around common goals. It will help AARV leadership understand what they should be working on - and what they should be working on first.
A strategic plan will help us envision our goals and identify the activities necessary to achieve them.
The strategic plan will clarify the AARV's purpose and vision and include an action plan to implement identified goals. Equally as important, the strategic plan will serve as a guide that will enable board members to set priorities and make good decisions. Performance targets will be specific and measurable.
We have worked with a consultant, Emily Selbe, who has helped the board members to pursue the initial steps involved in this process. Emily will assist us in developing the final strategic plan including focused and prioritized initiatives and a specific timetable, objectives and roles and responsibilities. We will then create systematic processes for managing the plan and measuring and reporting outcomes.
What does this mean to you, our members? Our goals are six-fold:
- Increase awareness of AARV (among veterinary professionals, educators and veterinary students, and in the public sector)
- Build, support and retain membership
- Build the AARV brand / enhance communications
- Develop the board to assure appropriate representation of the membership
- Increase financial stability through budgeting, sponsorship and membership
- Advance the field of veterinary rehabilitation through education, partnerships and advocacy
Our success in pursuing this strategic plan is dependent upon input from you, our members. What specifically would you like to see AARV accomplish in the next three years? In which of the areas outlined above might you have interest, experience and/or contacts?
We will update you monthly on our progress via this newsletter. Please feel free to send your comments and questions to me.
Janet Van Dyke, DVM, DACVSMR
Chair of the Strategic Planning Task Force
janetvandyke@me.com
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 AARV Hosts Lecture Track at 6th Annual STAAR Conference
Thanks to our sponsors (Partners in Veterinary Therapeutics, Companion Therapy Laser, Aratana and Chi Institute), AARV is able to host a lecture track at the 6th Annual Symposium on Therapeutic Advances in Animal Rehabilitation (STAAR), to be held April 24-26, 2015, in Florham Park, New Jersey. Pre-symposium labs will be held April 22-23, and a new one-day Equine Track is offered on April 23.
The AARV lecture track, entitled "The Multimodal Approach to Today's Rehab Patient," will be offered on Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26. Speakers include AARV board members Drs. Carolina Medina and Kristin Kirkby Shaw, along with Dr. Felix Duerr and Dr. Gina Bertocci.
The AARV lecture track presentations are:
- When Can Surgery Help? The Rehab Therapist and Orthopod Working as a Team
(lecture given Saturday, April 25 only)
Felix Duerr, DVM, DACVS, Dipl Am Coll Vet Sports Med & Rehab
- Don't Miss this Diagnosis: Tips and Tricks for Early Diagnosis of Canine Musculoskeletal Disease
Felix Duerr, DVM, DACVS, Dipl Am Coll Vet Sports Med & Rehab
- Evidence-Based Medicine in Pain Management
(lecture given Sunday, April 26 only)
Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, DACVS, PhD, Dipl Am Coll Vet Sports Med & Rehab
- Acupuncture: Improve Pain Management in your Rehab Patients
Carolina Medina, DVM, CVA, Dipl Am Coll Vet Sports Med & Rehab
- Updates on Canine CCL Research Using Computer-Based Simulation
Gina Bertocci, PhD, PE, Endowed Chair, Biomechanics
For more information about the STAAR Conference, visit the AARV website. Thank you to our sponsors for their generous and ongoing support of the initiatives of AARV!
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Catch Up on the AARV Lecture Track and Annual Meeting at NAVC
 The AARV Lecture Track and Annual Meeting on January 19 at the North American Veterinary Community Conference in Orlando was a great success!
If you weren't able to attend, you can catch up on what you missed by viewing the presentation slides from the AARV lunchtime business meeting. We will publish abstracts from several of our speakers in our February newsletter.
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Physical Therapists and Other Allied Health Professionals Invited to Join AARV
AARV recently created a new membership category for Allied Health Professionals such as physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Membership dues are $40 per year and include access to the members-only area on the website, sponsor discounts, and other benefits of membership except for voting rights and the ability to hold office. Go to the Join AARV page on our website to sign up online.
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Legislative Committee Members Needed!
by Kristyn Richardson, DVM, CCRT
Legislative Liaison
There is so much information and changes in the world of veterinary medicine, much of which can be missed if you are not looking in the right places or an active participant within the legislative process. It is time to GET INVOLVED!
As a representative for your state in the legislative committee, you can get involved and become more aware of the legislative and rule/regulations changes within your state. Now I know that political involvement is not a strength of a lot of veterinarians, but this involvement will give you greater information about the workings of your state legislature and board - and it is not that difficult.
Here is what is needed:
- Have knowledge of your State Board, its members, and their meeting schedule.
- Report by email if you know of any changes proposed to your veterinary practice act or rules/regulations that affect the veterinary field.
- Check for any new/existing bills in the Senate or House of Representatives in your state that may affect veterinary rehabilitation.
I have a lot of information to help start the process (emails, contact information).
If you are interested, please email your interest to info@rehabvets.org or rehabvetdoc@gmail.com.
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Legislative Update
by Kristyn Richardson, DVM, CCRT
Legislative Liaison
This past year the Supreme Court accepted a case that may have implications within not only the dental community but the veterinary community. Below is a summary of the Case.
North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners vs. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
QUESTION PROPOSED TO THE SUPREME COURT:
"Whether, for purposes of the state-action exemption from federal antitrust law, an
official state regulatory board created by state law may properly be treated as a 'private'
actor simply because, pursuant to state law, a majority of the board's members are also
market participants who are elected to their official positions by other market participants." Supreme Court Case 13-534.
Translation: Can a state regulatory board created by state law be exempted from federal antitrust laws and active state supervision when the board is mostly made up of professionals that have a financial interest in the "market" and are elected by other participants/professionals of that "market" - AKA: dentistry, veterinary medicine, human medicine, optometry/ophthalmology, etc.
Impacts: If the Supreme Court finds in favor of the FTC, regulatory boards may have to be restructured with a minority of medical professionals, which may significantly change the regulations and infrastructure of regulatory boards. This may impact the regulation of who is allowed to perform particular procedures in the multiple medical fields.
This would also impact the state governments if there becomes the requirement that the state would have to actively supervise regulatory boards and would potentially add a stronger political/financial interest in how a state board would regulate/protect their professionals.
At this time, no date for a ruling has been seen. I will update you as soon as I know any further information.
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CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital Offers Small Animal Sports Medicine Research Internship
 The James L. Voss Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital is offering a one-year research internship for veterinarians with a strong interest in small animal sports medicine, orthopedics and rehabilitation. The program is designed for applicants with an interest in pursuing ACVS or ACVSMR specialty training following the CSU internship year. The goal of the position is to provide the successful applicant with a fundamental research background in the area of small animal sports medicine, primarily with participation in ongoing clinical studies. Anticipated clinical duties will approximate one week per month in the areas of small animal surgery (soft tissue and orthopedics), sports medicine and rehabilitation. Interested applicants are encouraged to submit a cover letter and a curriculum vitae or resume to felix.duerr@colostate.edu even if they are currently applying for a residency position through VIRMP. All applications will be reviewed immediately upon receipt; the position will be filled on or shortly after February 9th (VIRMP match results date). To learn more, read the complete announcement.
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NEW ARTWORK!
AARV Memorial Cards Feature Original New Artwork
AARV has updated its printed memorial cards with original new artwork by artist Carol Lavelle of Hawaii. The new artwork, which was created for AARV, features pawprints, hoofprints and footprints from a variety of animals arranged in a heart. These memorial cards may be sent to clients of your practice as an expression of sympathy from your staff. The card indicates that you have made a donation to AARV as a way of honoring the life of their companion animal. The inside of the cards contains blank space to allow you to personalize the card and the statement "This gift will support AARV's mission by providing opportunities for education and collaboration among veterinary professionals to introduce, educate, develop, and nurture the practice of rehabilitation in veterinary medicine and animal care." Cards come with matching envelopes and are sold in sets of 10 cards for $105 and 25 cards for $255 including shipping and handling to U.S. addresses. For international shipments, sets of 10 cards are $125 and sets of 25 cards are $275, including shipping and handling. Visit the Products page of the AARV website to order these memorial cards online.
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CLASSIFIED AD
Job Title: Associate DVM + Director of (new) Rehab Service FT/PT: Either Full-Time or Part-Time Employer: TotalBond Veterinary Hospitals Location: Charlotte, NC Description: Multi-hospital AAHA-Accredited practice in Charlotte, NC area seeks to add Rehab service in new allied pet-care facility, seeks certified DVM to create this service for our own clientele in addition to building referral base. Practice currently has 3 ABVP Diplomates, one CVPP and 2 CVA's. Position requires dividing time between rehab and regular primary care clinical duties at one or more of our hospitals. How to Apply: Email mark.epstein@totalbondvets.com w/ CV and interest. |
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CLASSIFIED AD
Job Title: Rehabilitation Veterinarian FT/PT: Either Full-Time or Part-Time Employer: PAWS Integrative Veterinary Center Location: Tucson, AZ Description: PAWS Integrative Veterinary Center in Tucson, Arizona is looking for a motivated and passionate Rehabilitation Veterinarian to join our full-service veterinary team. Our AAHA-accredited hospitals' rehabilitation department is fully equipped with an underwater treadmill, land treadmill, class 3 & 4 cold lasers, therapeutic ultrasound, PST, digital radiology, iontophoresis, agility/gait training equipment, and much more. Please visit our website for more information on our award winning hospital. How to Apply: Please send all resumes and applications (found at pawstucson.com) to info@pawstucson.com. Please type "CRI RESUME" in the subject line. |
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CLASSIFIED AD
Job Title: Certified Rehabilitation Assistant/Technician FT/PT: Either Full-Time or Part-Time Employer: PAWS Integrative Veterinary Center Location: Tucson, AZ Description: PAWS Integrative Veterinary Center in Tucson, Arizona is looking for a motivated and passionate Certified Rehabilitation Assistant/Technician to join our full-service veterinary team. Our AAHA-accredited hospitals' rehabilitation department is fully equipped with an underwater treadmill, land treadmill, class 3 & 4 cold lasers, therapeutic ultrasound, PST, digital radiology, iontophoresis, agility/gait training equipment, and much more. Please visit our website for more information on our award winning hospital. How to Apply: Please send all resumes and applications (found at pawstucson.com) to info@pawstucson.com. Please type "CRI RESUME" in the subject line. |
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Tier 1: Education and Research Sponsors
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Tier 2: Sponsors Providing Member Discounts
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Tier 3: Additional Sponsors
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