President's Message

Renee Rucinsky, DVM, DABVP (Feline), President

July is the standard changing of the guard for ABVP leadership, and the good and the bad news is you are all stuck with me for the next year. 

For my entire life I've been an athlete, predominately with team sports. As I aged out of playing my favorite things, I transitioned into coaching, which allowed me to continue being a part of a team with a unified goal. ABVP leadership continues to provide the team approach to challenges and success that sustains me. One of my favorite things about this organization is the community of excellence that it creates. Solo endeavors are great, but knowing that I have the to do my job well to help my whole team succeed is a big part of what drives me. 

My goal for the coming year is to continue to create a team atmosphere within our organization. We'll use the strategic plan that was developed over the past couple of years to move ABVP forward. 

Good coaches always give their players a challenge - my challenge to ABVP Diplomates is to identify a great veterinarian in your life, whether it's a classmate from afar, an associate, or local colleague, and invite them to look into ABVP certification. Imagine the quality of care that veterinary patients would receive if there were more of us. Why are there practices with just one ABVP Diplomate out of four? Each of us can raise the level of care around us just by spreading the word about what we stand for. Be proud of what you've accomplished and the high standards that our organization maintains, and let's see if we can spread the ABVP love. 

Leadership Update

Paula Colletti, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), Chair, Leadership Development Committee 

July 1st marks the start of the new ABVP calendar year and the transition to a new ABVP leadership. As the Leadership Development Chair, I thought this would be a good opportunity to explain the new leadership organization and introduce your ABVP Leadership:

The Council of Regents (COR) was discontinued with the Bylaws update in 2022. It was replaced with a Board of Directors (BOD), consisting of the Executive Committee and five Directors, and an Advisory Council (AC), which is composed of all the Regents and Committee Chairs. The Directors are elected by the AC to represent the interests of the Regents and Committee Chairs on the Board. This restructuring is designed to make ABVP leadership more efficient in its governance and work on behalf of its membership. I’m pleased to introduce your 2023-2034 leadership:

Board of Directors

President: Renee Rucinsky
President-Elect: Jeff Husa
Vice-President: Stephanie Janeczko
Treasurer: Sara Doggett
Committee Chair Director (elected from all Committee Chairs): Niklos Weber
Regent-At-large Director (elected from all Regents):  Lori Teller 
Exotics Regent Director (Elected from Avian, Exotic Companion Mammal, Reptile/Amphibian, and Fish Regents): Chris Griffin
Large Animal Regent Director (elected from Equine, Beef, Dairy, Food Animal and Swine Regents): Darren Remsburg
Small Animal Regent Director (elected from Canine/Feline, Feline, and Shelter Regents): Elizabeth Berliner

Advisory Council:

Advisory Committee Chair (elected from all Regents and Committee
Chairs): Jordan Gagne
Avian Regent: Chris Griffin
Beef Cattle Regent: Jerry Rusch
Canine/Feline Regent 1: Raj Singh
Canine/Feline Regent 2: Lori Teller 
Dairy Regent: Darren Remsburg
Equine Regent: Manuel Himenes
Exotic Companion Mammal Regent: Tracey Ritzman
Feline Regent: Mark Cousins
Fish Regent: Johnny Shelley
Food Animal Regent: Hollie Schramm
Reptile/Amphibian Regent: James Bogan
Shelter Medicine Regent: Elizabeth Berliner
Swine Health Management Regent: Tom Fangman
VSOC representative: Craig Datz
Appeals Chair: Niklos Weber
Continuing Education Chair: Mike Dutton
Credentials Chair: Scott Leibsle
DEI Chair: Brita Kiffney
Ethics Chair: Stephen Foulke
Examination Chair: Jordan Gagne
Leadership Development Chair: Paula Colletti 
MOC Chair: Sonnya Dennis
Outreach Chair: Sarah Eaton
Residency Chari: Billy Smith 

As incoming ABVP Leadership, we look forward to working with you to keep our organization at the forefront of excellence in veterinary practice!

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Update

Sonnya Dennis, DVM, DABVP (Canine and Feline), MOC Chair

Deadline for Diplomates whose certificate expires at the end of this coming December 2023 was 15 July 2023. Please contact your MOC Vice Chair immediately if you have not completed your application!

Journal Club Update

Since the Google Group/Listserv for optional discussion of journal club articles is preferred by all over Slack, Slack Journal Club sites will close August 1st. Please contact info@abvp.com to be added to the listserv if you are not already a member. This is also a great way to chat among peers! 

Internship Survey Request for Canine and Feline Diplomates

Mike Dutton, DVM, MS, DABVP (Canine & Feline, Avian, Exotic Companion Mammal, Reptile & Amphibian), CVPP, CertAqV

Thanks to all the Canine/Feline (CF) Diplomates who filled out the survey from last month on internships!

Here are the results: We had 42 responses.

Highlights:

• 76% of respondents would use the Job Task Analysis that already exits for CF
• 43% would allow 1-5 topics to be swapped
• 26% would let 0 swaps
• 21% would allow 6-10 swaps

Extra resources:

• Supplemental readings (83% said yes)
• Webinars (67% said yes)
• Discussion guide (67% said yes)
• 49% of respondents would follow AAHA internship guidelines
• 49% would use some, but not all, of the AAHA guidelines
• 16 Diplomates would be willing to help craft this program

These highlights and a detailed summary has been forwarded to the Board of Directors for their review and consideration.

Introduction From Our New Beef Cattle Regent

Jerry Rusch, DVM, DABVP (Beef Cattle) 

I would like to introduce myself as the new ABVP Beef Cattle Regent. I was raised on a grain and livestock farm in Southern Indiana. In 1991 I received my DVM from Purdue University and married a classmate, Dr. Karen. We spent two years in Eastern Pennsylvania and in 1993 purchased Spring Mill Veterinary Service, a mixed animal practice in Mitchell, Indiana which we sold in June 2022. I periodically work part time at the practice where I have done mostly beef cattle with some sheep, goats and swine as well as some small animal. In 2000 I became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Beef Cattle. I currently work as a part time technical veterinary consultant for Axiota Animal Health. I also so other public speaking jobs for different organizations.

I am looking forward to becoming more involved with ABVP. Please reach out if there is anything I can to do.

Fish Mentorship Program

The mentorship program is looking for volunteers to serve as Fish mentors.  Mentors help guide prospective Diplomates by answering questions about the process, commenting on their mentees case reports, and being available for moral support. If you are interested in being a mentor please reach out to Amy Thorud, mentor coordinator. You will also receive volunteer points that apply toward MOC.

Communication Workshop for Specialists Available from ACVIM

The ACVIM has developed a Clinical Communication Workshop for Specialists and Candidates, which consists of on-demand, live virtual, and in-person sessions that will explore the essential concepts and tools for clinical communication in veterinary medicine. The agenda is attached for your reference. For those who unable to attend the in-person course, there are sessions that will be made available on-demand.

This course will be highly applicable to specialists and specialists-in-training, and we also feel that this course would also be highly beneficial for ABVP Diplomates and Candidates. We are therefore opening this course to ABVP Diplomates and Candidates to register and we want to ensure that we are creating awareness around this offering and reaching ABVP Diplomates and Candidates.

September 1, 2023

• Exam registration deadline. This must be completed by 11:59 PM Central Time

November 4, 2023

• Certification Exam

Residency and Job Postings

Don’t forget that ABVP has classified listings for open positions all over the USA!