 President's Message
 Greetings and Musings from 37,000 Feet
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Deep Thoughts by Kristin Shaw
Wow! Anyone else notice how time flies? Writing these monthly messages has reinforced to me how quickly the days and weeks fly by.
I am writing this April installment on my flight home from New Jersey and the STAAR Conference (which was fantastic!) and I thought I would share a habit that I have been trying to work on and would encourage everyone to adopt - that of taking the opportunity every day to be present. That is, to step away just for a few minutes from all of the demands we face in our lives, and to appreciate the day and the small things that may go unnoticed if we are going non-stop or constantly staring at our smart phones and computer screens.
Two years ago when I started traveling weekly for work, my boss gave me a great piece of advice: "Take the opportunity to pause, be quiet, and reflect during the time it takes to climb and descend 10,000 feet." Now, I look forward to those few minutes each flight when I know that I am not able to work on my computer and I have no Internet access. While yes, I could be reading an article or being productive in some other way, I instead close my eyes or look out the window and acknowledge the great little things that happened that day and the things I am grateful for in my life. Since I am not flying every day, I have been trying to set aside a few minutes each day to ensure that I am not letting the good little things in life fly by. Can you try it too? Put the phone down, watch the birds, smell the roses, taste the coffee, hear the wind, feel present.
Ok, enough of the sappy bit, back to business. STAAR was a huge success! Read more about the conference below. Also, learn more about new additions to the AARV Board of Directors as well as see our new monthly column from our technician members.
Finally, AARV members, please, please take the membership survey if you have not already! It will take you 5 minutes and you could win a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or Starbucks. To take the survey, go to the Membership Survey page (log-in needed) on the AARV website and click on the link for the survey.
With gratitude,
Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, CCRT
Diplomate ACVS & ACVSMR
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AARV Lecture Track at 6th Annual STAAR Conference a Huge Success
T he AARV held its second lecture track at the 6th Annual Symposium on Therapeutic Advances in Animal Rehabilitation (STAAR) in Florham Park, New Jersey, on April 23-26, 2015. The lecture track entitled "The Multimodal Approach to Today's Rehabilitation Patient" was geared towards evidence-based medicine.
Dr. Kristin Kirkby Shaw (DVM, DACVS, PhD, Dipl. American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation) discussed evidence-based pain management. Dr. Gina Bertocci (PhD, PE, Endowed Chair Biomechanics, University of Louisville) detailed her research on the use of computer-based simulation of the cranial cruciate ligament, effects of rupture, effects of surgical procedures, and effects of the use of an orthosis. Dr. Carolina Medina (DVM, Dipl. American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation) presented scientific evidence and clinical pearls on integrating acupuncture in rehabilitation patients. Dr. Felix Duerr (DVM, DACVS, PhD, Dipl. American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation) presented tricks for early diagnosis of canine musculoskeletal disease as well as surgical management and rehabilitation therapy.
The lecture series was a huge success, and the AARV would like to thank the extremely talented speakers and our dedicated sponsors Aratana, Companion Therapy Laser, Partners in Veterinary Therapeutics and the Chi Institute.
Please look for photos from STAAR on the AARV website in a few weeks.
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 AARV Veterinarian Members, Look for an Email Ballot on May 1
The Board of Directors of AARV is holding a special election to fill the board position of Industrial Liaison, which is currently held by President-Elect Dr. Carolina Medina. The two candidates for the position are Dr. Leilani Alvarez and Dr. Tara Edwards. An email will be sent on May 1 to all AARV veterinarian members with information about the two candidates and a link to an online ballot. Voting will be open from May 1 until May 31. When you receive the election email, please take a few minutes to read about each candidate and cast your vote in this election.
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Congratulations to Our New Board Members!
At its April meeting, the AARV Board of Directors welcomed three new board members. Dr. Cara Blake (DVM, DACVS, on faculty at University of Pennsylvania) is serving as Membership Chair and Dr. Jamie Peyton (DVM, DACVECC, on faculty at University of California Davis) is University Liaison.
Drs. Blake and Peyton have been serving in these positions as committee chairs and will continue these roles as board members. No other nominations were received for these positions.
In addition, Dr. Kara Amstutz (DVM, CCRT, CVPP) was appointed to fill the position of interim Public Liaison, which was previously held by Dr. Joe Spoo. Dr. Amstutz is the founder of Hometown Veterinary Hospital and River Canine Rehabilitation in Springfield, Missouri. Dr. Spoo recently resigned as Public Liaison to focus on his family and new baby that is due to arrive any day. We greatly appreciate all his efforts in the past years and wish him and his family the best. Congratulations to our new board members, and thank you for your service to AARV!
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AARV Announces New Research Grants
AARV has established a competitive annual awards program to add to the evidence base for veterinary rehabilitation by providing grant funds to highly meritorious applications. We encourage individuals to submit grant proposals that advance the science of canine and/or equine rehabilitation. The total funds available annually to support research applications are $5,000. This is divided equally between two available grants. The AARV Research Grant ($2,500) is for clinical research related to the field of animal rehabilitation. The Aratana Research Grant ($2,500) is for research related to the field of veterinary rehabilitation with the stipulation that the research must be in the areas of pain management and/or stem cell therapy for canine or feline patients. Applications must be submitted by July 1, 2015. For complete details, please see the Research Grants page on the AARV website.
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AARV Announces Call for Abstracts for NAVC 2016
At NAVC 2016, AARV will feature the presentation of original scientific studies pertinent to the science and practice of rehabilitation therapy. Material is currently being considered for verbal presentation (15 minutes) at AARV's track at NAVC. Reviews will be performed by a minimum of two reviewers with final approval by AARV's Board of Directors. All accepted abstracts will be published in AARV's newsletter (February 2016 issue).
Abstract submission guidelines are detailed on the AARV website. Please submit your abstracts for review and/or questions to Carolina Medina via email at tcvmvet@yahoo.com.
Important Abstract Submission Deadlines
March 1, 2015
| First call for abstracts
| June 1, 2015
| Final call for abstracts
| July 1, 2015
| Abstract submission deadline
| August 1, 2015
| Decisions notified to authors and corrections requested
| September 1, 2015
| Corrected abstract submission deadline
| October 1, 2015
| Final decision notified to authors
| January 18, 2016
| Oral delivery with PowerPoint presentation of study at NAVC
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Read the abstract submission guidelines.
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Legislative Update
by Kristyn Richardson, DVM, CCRTAARV Legislative LiaisonOn February 25, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Federal Trade Commission in the case of North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners vs. The Federal Trade Commission. The opinion of the court (in very truncated form) was that the State Board was in violation of antitrust laws due to the majority of the board being practicing dentists and not having regulation by the state in North Carolina, and the fact that teeth whitening was not specifically mentioned in their practice act as being the practice of dentistry, so lay people performing teeth whitening cannot be legally considered in violation of the North Carolina Dental Practice Act.
So what is the impact for us as veterinarians, specifically veterinarians in physical rehabilitation? This ruling will potentially change how our state veterinary boards are structured, regulated by the state, and could cause some very specific changes in our state veterinary practice acts. We may see more non-veterinarians on our state regulatory boards, and the potential for more laypersons to start performing physical rehabilitation, especially in those states that do not have specific mention of physical rehabilitation in their practice acts.
I challenge all veterinarians to review their practice acts and get in touch with their state boards to see how they are going to address these challenges.
If you are interested in the specifics of the Supreme Court case and the opinions of the justices, please read a copy of the ruling. I encourage that you send this to fellow veterinarians to raise awareness of the potential impact of this ruling.
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What Hat Do You Wear As A Credentialed Rehabilitation Veterinary Technician?
by Kristen L. Hagler, BS, RVT, CCRP, CVPP, OACM, CBWAARV Technician LiaisonCredentialed rehabilitation veterinary technicians are most often known for working in the rehabilitation practice alongside rehabilitation veterinarians and patients receiving treatments, however there are some of us out there who also provide us with the educational resources to do our jobs even better! Ms. Mary Ellen Goldberg, BS, LVT, CVT, SRA, CCRA, is one of those technicians who works very hard towards educating her fellow colleagues in areas of pain management and physical rehabilitation. She is a graduate of Harcum College and the University of Pennsylvania and worked at Virginia Commonwealth University in the Division of Animal Resources and for research scientists advising on their choices for anesthesia and pain management on their protocols. She has been the instructor of Anesthesia and Pain Management at VetMedTeam, LLC since 2003 and has been the Executive Secretary for the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) since 2008. Mary Ellen is also a Surgical Research Anesthetist certified through the Academy of Surgical Research and is on the Organizing Committee for APRVT (Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians - proposed). Currently, she is a staff member at the Canine Rehabilitation Institute, as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Assistant (CCRA). 
Mary Ellen has written several books and contributed to numerous chapters regarding anesthesia, pain management and rehabilitation. Her most recent accomplishment is Pain Management for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, which recently received a rave review in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA).
The reviewer, Jennifer F. Johnson, VMD, said, the book "addresses all aspects of pain management in an easy-to-read, yet detailed, manual and provides a much-needed resource for veterinary technicians." Dr. Johnson added that "every veterinary hospital should own a copy because it provides easily accessible information that veterinarians use daily so they will not have to sort through an in-depth textbook on pain management." You may also find Mary Ellen speaking at national meetings on these topics or and giving private CE to organizational groups. If you have contributed something exceptional to the veterinary field and are a credentialed rehabilitation veterinary technician or studying to become one, please send us your accomplishments!
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 AARV Member News
Dr. Janet Van Dyke, an AARV past president and the programming committee chair, presented at the Italian Veterinary Traumatology and Orthopaedic Society conference in Bologna in April and took part in discussions regarding the start of the Italian veterinary rehabilitation association. Please send your news, with a photo if possible, to Dr. Kara Amstutz, AARV's public liaison, at info@rehabvets.org. |
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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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 Join Our Speaker Registry!
We are continuing to look for members who are interested in speaking at their local VMA meetings as part of our goal of increasing awareness of the field of veterinary rehabilitation and the AARV. 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). |
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Have You Read the Latest Articles of Interest?
The April Articles of Interest are posted in the Members Only area of the website. Our Articles of Interest documents containing journal abstracts and citations are posted online to help you stay up to date on the latest research and publications. We also keep links to past Articles of Interest so you can easily catch up if you miss a month. Click here to read the April Articles of Interest and past Articles of Interest. Enter your username and password to log in, then go to the Articles of Interest page. You must have a current membership recorded in our database for access to the Members Only area. |
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 Send Us Your News!
AARV members, we're looking for your news! Have you hired more staff, had a peer-reviewed article published, or accepted a leadership position with an organization? We'd like to get updates on your rehabilitation activities and share your news in our email newsletters. To see your news in print, email a brief description - and a photo if possible - to AARV's public liaison at info@rehabvets.org. |
Did You Miss Our Last Newsletter?
Our March 2015 issue included: - President's Message from Dr. Kristin Kirkby Shaw
- Nominations Open for Board Positions
- Congratulations to Our Survey Winners!
- AARV Announces New Research Grants
- AARV Announces Call for Abstracts for NAVC 2016
If you missed this issue, you can read the March newsletter online or from the e-Newsletter page on the AARV website.
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CLASSIFIED AD
Veterinary Technologist (Rehabilitation and Neurology), Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital
We now offer an exciting employment opportunity at the Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Duties will be split 50/50 between Small Animal Physical Rehabilitation and Neurology. Main responsibilities include: performing physical rehabilitation techniques on orthopedic and neurologic patients alongside a certified rehabilitation veterinarian, interacting with clients, veterinary technician students and veterinary DVM students both in neurology and rehabilitation. There will also be patient care responsibilities, assisting with surgical cases pre and post-operatively, case management and treatment administration. Liaise with clients about patient follow-up, prescription refills, and scheduling questions on designated cases.
Interested parties, please apply online at http://purdue.taleo.net/careersection/jobdetail.ftl?job=1500242&lang=en. In order to apply it is simple; you will be prompted to create a Purdue user account.
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CLASSIFIED AD
One doctor, rehab practice located in a 24/7 emergency and specialty hospital in Parker, Colorado.Highly respected specialty practice with 2 board certified surgeons, IM and critical care specialists, oncologist, radiologist, and a boarded neurologist arriving in June. CT on site and MRI will be arriving soon. Looking for a buyer with long term aspirations. Rehab practice is well integrated into the hospital and uses its reception, computer systems and pharmacy. Amazing opportunity to walk into an established practice with in house referrals and consistent influx of new clients. Includes an Oasis UWTM, NMES, TENS, class 3b laser and therapeutic exercise equipment. Serious inquiries please contact Jennifer at kdscat68@gmail.com.
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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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