June 2014

2014 AAVMC Assembly Scheduled for July 28 in Denver

The AAVMC will hold its Annual Assembly meeting on Monday, July 28, 2014 from 1:30 - 5 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, in conjunction with the AVMA's annual convention. During the Annual Assembly, AAVMC institutional representatives will address the election of new officers, changes in bylaws, and hear reports and updates concerning current issues, events and opportunities. Learn more.

Penn Vet Communications Director Wins Inaugural AAVMC Excellence in Communications Award

Ashley Berke, director of communications for the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, has been awarded the 2014 AAVMC Communications Excellence Award. Judges praised the strategic nature of Penn's comprehensive communication program, with metrics linking communications programs to increased hospital visits, philanthropic contributions and overall awareness. Judges were also impressed with the schools exceptional performance with national media placements and integration with AAVMC communication programs. Learn more.

Save the Date/Submit a Proposal for the AAVMC's 2015 Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium

Share your work and ideas by submitting proposals for educational sessions and posters that will be featured during the AAVMC's 2015 Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, March 13-15, 2015 in Washington, D.C. The theme of the 2015 conference is Recruiting and Selecting for the Future of Veterinary Medicine and the conference is held in conjunction with the biennial Iverson Bell Symposium, which promotes diversity and inclusion in academic veterinary medicine. Learn more.

Tufts Program Links Primary Care Experience with Community Service

The full-service clinic allows DVM students to take the lead in appointments and routine surgeries under the supervision of a seasoned DVM.

An innovative program at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is inspiring students at the same time it is bringing modern clinical care and compassion to underserved pets. And it's even attracted the attention of President Barack Obama.The Tufts at Tech Community Veterinary Clinic provides subsidized veterinary care for citizens of Greater Worcester in Massachusetts, but it does much more. Learn more.

Veterinary Medical Students Chosen for Prestigious HHMI Fellowships

Two students from AAVMC member institutions will be conducting intensive research this coming year as participants in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Research Fellows Program. A third veterinary medical student will participate in a summer fellowship.The $2.8 million HHMI Fellows initiative is designed to increase the training of future physician-scientists and enables students to put their medical studies on hold for a year while they conduct intensive, mentored biomedical research at 32 fellowship institutions across the country. Learn more.

AAVMC's Greenhill Earns Ed.D in Higher Education and Org Change

Dr. Lisa Greenhill

Longtime staff member Lisa Greenhill has developed a unique perspective on the profession of veterinary medicine as the AAVMC's associate executive director for institutional research and diversity. In charge of numerous studies that help AAVMC leaders shape the future of veterinary medicine, Greenhill decided to critically evaluate a pressing issue in the profession through the lens of academic inquiry. As a result she was awarded her Ed.D in higher education and organizational change this May from Chicago's Benedictine University. In the process, she gleaned some important insights about how leaders in the profession view institutional accreditation and change. Learn more.

VMCAS 2015 Now Open, Enhancements Include Re-Application Function

The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) began accepting applications June 5 for the 2015-2016 school year. VMCAS is making it easier for previous applicants to reapply with a new, reapplication function that retrieves basic, student-submitted information, such as coursework. Letters of reference, transcripts, and experience hours will not roll over, but pertinent information from last year's saved applications will be retrievable even if the student did not submit the application. Access the application.

USDA Seeks Members for National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is seeking new members to serve on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). The Committee provides stakeholder advice to the Secretary of Agriculture regarding state and federal programs concerned with the inspection and safety of meat, poultry and processed egg products. The USDA invites persons from industry; state and federal government; public health, scientific, and academic communities; and consumers and consumer organizations, as well as all other interested persons, to submit nominations. Submissions will be accepted until June 16, 2014. Learn more.

Neuroscientist Investigates How Brain Repairs Itself After a Stroke

Dr. Theus' research has implications for understanding the regenerative process following any kind of traumatic brain injury and resultant damage to the central nervous system.

Strokes claim almost 130,000 lives each year and can cause devastating, often-permanent brain damage - but it's well known that, in some cases, the brain can re-route itself, at least partly restoring brain function. With funding from a three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Michelle Theus, an assistant professor of molecular and cellular neurobiology in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, is investigating how that brain repair process works in order to better understand how to help people recover after a stroke. Learn more.

Note: The above story is part of a series of stories that the AAVMC highlights in the Vet-Med Educator on a regular basis from member institutions that demonstrate the many benefits of federal investment in schools and colleges of veterinary medicine.

Academic Veterinary Medicine in the News

Canines' Cancer-Sniffing Snouts Showing 90%-Plus Accuracy

Bloomberg News

AAVMC Partners with Zoetis for Veterinary Scholarship Program

dvm360

Treating the Wildlife in our Midst, Veterinary Caseloads Grow as Human, Animal Habitats Intersect - The Boston Globe

Colorado State Names First Woman to Run Veterinary Program

The Denver Post

Mizzou veterinary student wins Bayer Excellence in Communication Award

Veterinary Practice News

Vaccine Could Offer Hope for Dogs with Bone Cancer

Philly.com