Newest updates inside
This newsletter is PACKED with information. Please scroll all the way down this month to at least check out the story headlines!
President's Message
Jon Townsend, DVM, PhD, DABVP (Dairy), President
Well, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for – my final message to you as President of ABVP. I’ll try to keep it short and sweet. It’s been a challenging time due to COVID-19. Many issues that were never on my radar had to be dealt with. We’ve had to postpone not one, but two Annual Symposia (hopefully 2022 in Chicago will occur as planned), but that didn’t stop us from moving forward. We have begun implementing a new strategic plan, have continued forward with implementing the new MOC process, and will begin a new credentialing process in the coming year. That’s a lot of positive movement!
I want to thank you all for allowing me to have the honor of leading ABVP for the last 18 months. It is truly one of the greatest honors I could have ever had in veterinary medicine and I will always treasure it. Being involved in ABVP has allowed me to meet and be inspired by many great people. I look at them all and am amazed by them. I am often left wondering how I got this lucky. I need to thank all of the Regents and Chairs that have done the heavy lifting behind the scenes. I enjoy them being my teammates. They put in a lot of effort to move ABVP forward and do so selflessly. As I shift to past-president, I know ABVP is in great hands. The Board of Directors is still a work in progress, but its members have great visions for ABVP and the desire to make those visions reality. Gary Thompson will be a great leader for ABVP. While I am thanking people, I can thank no one more than Marisa Hackemann. Marisa makes things happen as our Executive Director. We are lucky to have her and lucky we haven’t caused her to run away screaming! I am going to miss our weekly calls where we discuss not only ABVP business but also life and family.
Finally, in this holiday season “family” is rightfully a major focus. My final thanks are for the support of my wife, Dr. Wendy Townsend, and our daughters, Emma and Rachel. They are my why. Wendy was serving as ACVO’s President for much of the same time as I was serving as the President of ABVP. It was enlightening to discuss the issues that face veterinary specialty organizations and while you may be frustrated with ABVP at times, I know we also have a lot that we do well – perhaps better than others. I look forward to spending a little more time with them.
As I wrap up the last few weeks of my service, I look forward to continuing to serve ABVP. I believe in ABVP and will always look for ways to help. I hope that some of you will take on the active volunteer role as well. We can always use more help!
I wish you and yours very happy holidays together. May your patients and clients treat you well and for one final time, I hope all is well at your end of the barn.
Stay well,
Jon
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Update
Sonnya Dennis, DVM, DABVP (Canine and Feline), MOC Chair
And now for something completely different…
ABVP is using Slack as a way to help Diplomates connect with each other and discuss Journal Club articles (like a virtual journal club discussion), but you can also use it as a way to connect with other diplomates in your specialty.
Being on Slack is NOT A MANDATORY part of Journal Club. But it could be fun!
Slack https://slack.com/ is a way to chat without cluttering up your email inbox or getting hung up in ads from social media madness. It is super easy. You can check it whenever you want or ignore it. Not familiar with it? Just jump on, it is super easy, and the rest of us Slackers (?) will help you. If you are interested in joining, please contact Marisa Hackemann info@abvp.com and ask for a Slack invite!
Rehash and Reminders
Journal Club articles and quizzes are required. You must pass 4 out of the 6 articles presented each year (40 of 60 over 10 years). Article and quiz links expire 1 year after being posted, so catch up! https://abvp.com/abvp-journal-clubs/
What is the difference between the portals and logins for ABVP? Here is Guidance for Paying Annual Fees & Submitting MOC Materials. And here are quick links to Main Diplomate Portal on Prolydian for dues, and the MOC Portal on Prolydian for, MOC uploads.
If you have not read the last dozen or so newsletters, here is the link to the new MOC Handbook and general instructions.
Do you need a New Year's Resolution? Upload something for MOC every month! It is easier for you and the Vice Chairs if the work is spread out through the year.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a question!
MOC
Chair: Sonnya Dennis mocchair@abvp.com
Vice Chairs
Avian: Anthony Pilny avianmoc@abvp.com
Beef, Dairy, and Food Animal: Wendela Wapenaar foodbeefdairymoc@abvp.com
Canine and Feline: Ellen Olson and JoLynne Grant caninefelinemoc@abvp.com
Equine: Dana Reeder equinemoc@abvp.com
Exotic Companion Mammal: Hilary Stern ecmmoc@abvp.com
Feline: Renee Rucinsky felinemoc@abvp.com
Reptile and Amphibian: Heather Bjornebo ramoc@abvp.com
Shelter: Uri Donnett sheltermoc@abvp.com
Swine: Jeff Husa swinemoc@abvp.com
Exams Permanently Online
Starting in 2022, the ABVP exam will no longer be linked to the ABVP Symposium. Exams will be permanently online and proctored via a remote, webcam based proctoring system. Exams will also permanently be held the first Saturday of each November from 8 AM - 5 PM YOUR local time at the location of your choice (home, office, etc).
Invest in YOUR Foundation
Invest in the growth of your specialty. Help the ABVP Foundation reach out to students and clinicians. We need your support.
Registration Opening Next Week!
We are SO looking forward to finally having our Symposium again! Believe it or not, it's just a little over 100 days away! For the first time in the history of the Symposium we are offering SIX hands-on workshops. We expect these will fill up fast so if you are interested in one, we advise you to be on the lookout next week for an email officially announcing that Symposium registration is open. A full list of the hands-on workshops being offered is below.
While you eagerly await the email to register, you can go ahead and book your hotel room at the Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile by clicking here.
At this year's Symposium, like most other events over the last few months, we will be requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test for COVID-19 within 72 hours of the Symposium starting on Thursday, April 21 at 1:00 PM Central Time. We are working with a third party company called ShareMy.Health. For those of you who attended IVECCS earlier this fall or recently attended AAEP, you will be familiar with the system as both those conferences also utilized the same third party company.
Introductory Equine Dental Extraction & Regional Anesthesia
Jack Easley, DVM, MS, DABVP (Equine), AVDC & Molly Rice, DVM, DAVDC
Feline Dentistry & Dental Extraction Techniques
Jan Bellows, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline), DAVDC & Larry Baker, DVM, DAVDC
Canine Dentistry & Dental Extraction Techniques
Jan Bellows, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline), DAVDC & Larry Baker, DVM, DAVDC
Advanced Canine & Feline Dental Techniques
Jan Bellows, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline), DAVDC & Larry Baker, DVM, DAVDC
Cytology
Ravinder Dhaliwal, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline), DACVIM (Oncology)
Global FAST® (AFAST, TFAST, Vet BLUE®) Hands-On Scanning
Gregory Lisciandro, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline)
All workshops have limited attendance and require an additional fee.
Now Taking Nominations
The Nominating and Maintenance Committee is seeking volunteers to join the Council of Regents, Board of Directors, and/or to serve as chairperson for several committees. These positions will start July 1, 2022, and continue for the terms as listed below. Volunteers are eligible to receive Maintenance of Certification points. The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2022. If you are interested in learning more about any of these openings, please
contact Marisa Hackemann at info@abvp.com for more details.
Board of Directors (BOD)
Vice President (VP): this is a one-year term with the expectation that you will advance each year through the positions of VP, President-Elect, President, and Past President. This is a 4-year commitment and will provide exposure and training in organizational leadership. You will be asked to attend and participate in an annual in-person meeting at the ABVP Symposium and 3 quarterly business meetings via videoconference. In addition, there are other Board calls throughout the year and participation in email and Slack discussions are expected.
Treasurer: this is a 3-year term with the opportunity to serve one additional 3-year term. You should be able to read and understand financial documents such as profit-and-loss statements and balance sheets. You will help prepare an annual budget and recommend strategies and plans to ensure ABVP remains a financially stable organization. The meeting schedule is the same as for the VP position.
Council of Regents (COR)
Regents serve for 3-year terms with the opportunity to serve one additional 3-year term. Regents attend and participate in the annual in-person meeting at the ABVP Symposium and 3 quarterly business meetings via videoconference. You must be in good standing (all dues and fees current). You will serve as a liaison between Diplomates and residents in your specialty and the ABVP
leadership. You will be expected to help mentor potential Diplomates and advocate for the growth of your specialty group. You will also help recruit volunteers in your specialty for various committees.
Avian Regent
Beef Cattle Regent
Food Animal Regent
Reptile and Amphibian Regent
Committee Chairs
Committee chairpersons serve for 3-year terms with the opportunity to serve one additional 3-year term. Chairs attend and participate in the annual in-person meeting at the ABVP Symposium and 3 quarterly business meetings via videoconference. You must be in good standing (all dues and fees current).
Examination Chair: the chair leads a committee made up of vice-chairs (one from each specialty group) and works with them to create, validate, and grade examinations. Preference is for a Diplomate who is currently serving as an exam vice-chair. However, any member with an interest in psychometrics who is also detail-oriented and able to work with web-based databases is encouraged. Ability to adhere to strict deadlines is also necessary.
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Chair: the chair leads a committee that
creates, validates, and reviews the various requirements for MOC. Preference is for a Diplomate who has served on the MOC committee and who can answer questions from Diplomates about the MOC process. However, any member who is detail-oriented and has the ability to adhere to strict deadlines is encouraged.
Outreach Chair: the chair leads a committee that is focused on promoting ABVP and encouraging veterinarians to consider certification. The committee uses social media platforms and works with other organizations to reach out to veterinarians and the general public. They also work with universities to encourage veterinary students to learn about ABVP. Any Diplomate is encouraged to consider this position if you have a passion for specialty-level practice and want to promote the continued growth of ABVP through marketing and outreach efforts. Social media knowledge is a plus.
Residency Chair: the chair leads a committee made up of vice-chairs (at least two from each specialty group) that supervises residency training and reviews progress reports from each resident twice a year. The committee also creates and reviews residency standards and evaluates proposals for new programs and mentors. Preference is for a Diplomate who has served on the residency committee and can answer questions. However, any Diplomate who certified through the residency pathway is encouraged. Ability to adhere to strict deadlines is also necessary.
Diplomate Achievements
Gary Norsworthy, DVM, DABVP (Feline) recently retired from lecturing. Read the article in the TVMA Journal here.
Forms & Documents Have Moved!
All "Forms & Documents" have moved to https://abvp.connect.prolydian.com/ (which is the NEW main database system).
Here you can find all documentation and examples for the credentials process, the Emeritus Diplomate application, exam study guides, and other standard organizational documents.
Opportunities to Help YOUR ABVP
When you login to https://abvp.connect.prolydian.com/ (which is the NEW main database system), you can now view available volunteer opportunities within ABVP. As Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs make us aware of places where assistance is needed, you will be able to find them listed here.
Residency and Job Postings
Don’t forget ABVP has classified listings for open positions all over the USA!
Event Calendar 2022
January 15, 2022
Credentials documentation deadline for both Initial Applications and Re-Applications. All documentation must be submitted via your ABVP online account by 11:59 PM Central Time
Swine Health Management Entry Exam registration and fee deadline. Registration must be completed via your ABVP online account by 11:59 PM Central Time
Semi-Annual Residency Logs deadline. Logs must be submitted via your ABVP SmartSheet account by 11:59 PM Central Time
April 21-24, 2022
- ABVP Symposium, Chicago, Illinois
July 1, 2022
2022-2023 Diplomate Fees payable via your ABVP online account
July 15, 2022
Semi-Annual Residency Logs deadline. Logs must be submitted via your ABVP SmartSheet account by 11:59 PM Central Time
September 1, 2022
Exam registration and fee deadline. Registration for all Candidates and MOC Diplomates must be completed via your ABVP online account by 11:59 PM Central Time
First-time Credentials Application and fee deadline. All applications and fees must be submitted via your ABVP online account by 11:59 PM Central Time
