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April 2025 e-News
President's Message
Jeff Husa, DVM, DABVP (Swine Health Management), President
Symposium Reflections
What an event! More than 500 attendees and over 40 vendors gathered for our
2025 ABVP Symposium, situated on the beautiful San Antonio Riverwalk. The
venue was buzzing as we learned, reconnected with old friends, met new ones, and welcomed 46 Diplomates in the Class of 2024. Congratulations to our newest ABVP specialists! I will never forget your smiles and that look of “I did it!” as you each approached the stage to receive your certificate. Outstanding accomplishments, one and all!
Whether you rolled up your sleeves for one of our Hands On Workshops, listened to the cross-species lectures, or joined in discussions specific to your RVS, we appreciate your participation in Symposium 2025. A huge amount of time and effort went into planning and executing this event. Many thanks to all of you who made it a success!
Our guest speaker at Saturday’s Awards Banquet was Dr. Kelly Diehl. Kelly gave an amazing presentation about the Morris Animal Foundation, one of the world’s largest nonprofit animal health research organizations. Since 1948, they have supported more than 3,100 critical animal health studies across a broad range of species, to the tune of over $167 million. For more information about the Morris Foundation or to help their cause, go to Morris Animal Foundation.
We also celebrated the contributions of one of our own Saturday night. Dr. Renee Rucinsky received the Craig Datz Excellence in Leadership Award for her many dedicated years of service to ABVP. Renee has served as a Feline Practice credentials reviewer, and as the Feline Practice Credentials Vice Chair. She served as our MOC Chair, Vice President, President-Elect, and President. She has been a driving force to uphold the standards of ABVP, and to strengthen and grow our organization. Congratulations and thank you, Renee for everything you have done and continue to do for ABVP, our clients, and their animals.
Our ABVP Foundation, through the French Fellowship, was able to support travel for 7 students to attend Symposium. Thank you to the Foundation Board and to everyone who has contributed to that awesome cause. The Foundation’s goal for 2025 is to raise $20,000. With these funds, they will promote ABVP to veterinary students and continue to support student travel to Symposium. To make your donation, please click the link below.
Next year’s Symposium will be in Boston, Massachusetts. Mark your calendars
now for April 9 through 12. Join us on the Freedom Trail for another amazing
learning experience.
As Dr. Janeczko, our President-Elect accurately predicted, I expressed my thanks to a lot of people Saturday night for their efforts to strengthen ABVP. Every one of you makes a difference every day in many ways. I wholeheartedly thank you again for all that you do!
Jeff
Your April MOC Update
Sonnya Dennis, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline), MOC Chair
CRITICAL! There will be significant delays in application processing due to a lack of volunteers in MOC. We need volunteers in our BIGGEST RVS groups: Avian and Canine & Feline.
- Avian: An MOC Vice Chair Trainee needed. The time commitment is about 1-2 hours a week. You will be paired with the current Vice Chair for a 6-month transition, so you won't jump in head first! New Diplomates are welcome!!! If interested, please contact either Sonnya Dennis mocchair@abvp.com or Anthony Pilny, the Avian Vice Chair, avianmoc@abvp.com.
- Avian: Journal Club contributor needed. Need to be willing to commit to 3 journal club articles with questions for quiz this year.
- Canine & Feline Vice Chair Trainee needed. Looking for a way to get more involved with ABVP? We are seeking someone to be the MOC Vice Chair for Canine & Feline starting in June. You will be paired with the current Vice Chair for a 6-month transition - No experience is necessary. Responsibilities would include answering questions, reporting to the MOC Chair, coordinating the help of other MOC volunteers (application reviewers), and reviewing MOC applications. This position would not involve selecting journal club articles as there is already a subcommittee that takes care of that. This position would earn volunteer points. If interested, please contact either Sonnya Dennis at mocchair@abvp.com or Ellen Olson, Canine/Feline Vice Chair, at caninefelinemoc@abvp.com.
- Canine & Feline Application Reviewer needed. No email responsibility. Must be able to commit to an average of 1 hour a week reviewing applications for points.This position would earn volunteer points. If interested, please contact either Sonnya Dennis at mocchair@abvp.com or Ellen Olson, Canine & Feline Vice Chair, at caninefelinemoc@abvp.com.
Reminder: Journal Club is required as part of Maintenance of Certification. The articles and easy 5-question quizzes expire after 1 year. JUST DO IT NOW!!! Here's the link to Journal Club.
QUICK LINKS
MOC webpage, Journal Club, add me to the Google Group/Listserv!
Technical issues with Prolydian?
If you have a simple technical issue please contact Prolydian at support+abvp@prolydian.com before emailing info@abvp.com.
Question about your MOC? Contact your MOC RVS Vice Chair first. The email addresses are below and in the MOC Handbook.
2025 Craig Datz Award Winner
Renee Rucinsky, DVM, DABVP (Feline)
Hey all,
I’m taking the opportunity to say thank you again to ABVP for recognizing the work that I’ve done over the last 20+ years by bestowing the Craig Datz Service Award. As I said the night of the awards dinner, I feel like this is too soon, and that I have so much more to do. It seems like an award for someone you’re putting out to pasture. I also want to double down on the fact that
I’m just someone that is seen - there are so many volunteers who work in the trenches to make our organization run as smoothly as possible. I know that there are folks that have been reviewing case reports every year for longer than I have, that have been writing exam questions, that review all the minutiae of MOC submissions, and they get minimal recognition. For all of you, thank you so much.
Volunteering with this organization has given me so much more than MOC points. Reviewing cases makes me a better doctor. Mentoring applicants makes me a better doctor. Working with other folks in leadership makes me a better leader in my hospital, and gives me a community of support.
When Jeff was introducing this award, he said it was going to someone who always said yes to helping out. There are a couple of sides to that, and they are both true. The first is that I do always make myself available to help out. I love what this organization stands for, and I’ve seen what it takes to make it keep moving forward.
The flip side is that sometimes we run out of volunteers. There isn’t anyone else, so I’ll step in and do things. And that’s not cool. We need you. Yeah - you! Even you!! Please contact us to do SOMETHING. If you don’t know what to do, tell us what you like. Tell us what you don’t like. We’ll find something. Don’t know who to contact? You can contact me. I’ll get you connected to the right person.
Volunteering doesn’t have to be a ton of work. It can be, but it doesn’t have to be. You can do as much or as little as you want. We need help. No one wants to keep seeing me. Do your part and help put me out to pasture.
Diversity Equity Inclusion and Wellbeing (DEIW) Corner
Nik Weber, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline) (Avian), DEI Chair
For those interested in a great overview from avoiding unconscious bias to preventing workplace harassment, this is a great place to start.
AVMA’s Brave Space Certificate Program is self-paced, developed with the Pride Veterinary Medical Community, and free for AVMA members. It is a great onboarding resource for hospitals. AND each of the seven modules counts as non-RVS CE in either your Required Continuing Education or your Additional Points Category for Maintenance of Certification!
ECM Examination Vice Chair
Jordan Gagne, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline) (Feline), Examination Chair
The Exotic Companion Mammal Examination Committee has an opening for the position of ECM Examination Vice Chair. Interested candidates should submit a short (max 2-5 sentence) description of their interest in the position including any qualifications or past experience on the examination committee to examchair@abvp.com. Please submit interest statements no later than Thursday, 05/15/2025 10:59pm Central Time. Attached is the Exam Committee Scope of Work document as well as a general Vice Chair Onboarding Guidebook. A quick summary overview of Vice Chair commitment is below.
RVS Exam Vice Chair Responsibilities include:
- Managing members of their committee (Exam creation members and Angoff Subject Matter Experts) and recruiting replacements as needed.
- Overseeing compliance of their RVS examination with the most recent Job Task Analysis (JTA) blueprint
- Answering applicant concerns about their RVS exam (Typically indirectly - The Exam Chair has the most direct contact with applicants and is able to answer 99% of questions that come through. Occasionally clarification through the vice chair is needed).
- Post-exam review of exam taker questions, poor performing exam items, and review of the Angoff cut score.
Term limit: May serve two consecutive three-year terms.
MOC points: Earn 25 MOC points per year for their RVS, up to a maximum of 250 points per 10-year cycle.
Selection: The RVS Regent selects the Exam Vice Chair.
Requirements: Must be a Diplomate of their RVS.
Calling Canine & Feline or Feline ABVP Diplomates!
Mike Dutton, MS, DVM, DABVP, CE Chair
The CE committee is taking submissions for potential speakers to present at VMX 2026 (Orlando, FL, January 17-21, 2026) for the ABVP tracks. The CE committee will review the submissions and pass them onto VMX. Presentations are 50 minutes long. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Mike Dutton at CE@abvp.com with the presentation topic and short summary. Deadline for submission is April 23, 2025. We are looking for one or two Diplomates to speak for a total of 6 hours (6 lectures at 50 minutes a piece). VMX's reimbursement schedule is such that a third speaker would not be reimbursed.
The link below has Speaker Benefits. Please tailor your topic and presentation for the intermediate to advanced attendee.
Intermediate Attendee: Perfect for those with 5-15 years of experience or those familiar with the topic looking to cement and expand their knowledge.
- In-depth case presentations and topic reviews that discuss recent research, updates, and innovation
- Discussions of advanced treatments and diagnostics that many general practitioners will have access to, if not in their own clinics, through referral
Advanced Attendee: A deep dive into a subject for those with more than 15 years of experience, interest in innovation, or expanding into specialist-level knowledge.
- Topic reviews and research-based presentations that assume the audience is moderately familiar with the topic in it's current state and may even have superficial knowledge of recent research
- Statistical analysis, critical publication review and application of advanced or innovative knowledge that may have limited availability at the current time.
Call for Companion Animal Medical Oncology Fellowship Organizing Committee Members
Mike Dutton, MS, DVM, DABVP, CE Chair
Drs. Mark Epstein and Wen Yu Theng are exploring an ABVP Fellowship that trains CF, Fe, ECM, Av, and RA Diplomates in medical oncology at the advanced level. ABVP policy is that there are at least 18 Diplomates on the Fellowship Organizing Committee. The Committee will develop the curriculum, goals, and mission statement. Once approved by the Board of Directors, the Fellowship will be open for Diplomates seeking this training.
If you are a Diplomate on good standing, are very experienced in medical oncology, and wish to potentially be on the Organizing Committee, please forward your name, email, the RVS which you are certified in, and your current CV to Mike Dutton.
Based on other Fellowship Program experiences, this will average 1 to 3 hours per week for your time commitment. Once the Committee has 18 to 20 members, the recruitment phase will be closed. Mike can answer any other general questions or concerns that you may have before you submit your name for consideration.
Leadership Spotlight
Paula Colletti, VMD, DABVP (Canine & Feline), Leadership Development Committee Chair
This month, please read about our second of two Canine/Feline Regents, Greg Lisciandro
Contact information and links for all ABVP Leadership can be found below.
Donate via Pledge to the ABVP Foundation
The ABVP Foundation Board of Directors
The Foundation brought seven terrific students to the Symposium this year via our Denny French Scholarships. The approximate cost to bring a student to Symposium is about $2,000, so we need your help to continue to expose veterinary students to our amazing specialty.
Sponsorship Opportunities Include:
- Sponsoring one or more students this year
- Making a one-time donation
- Making a recurring donation
We have had increasing interest the last few years and we will only be able to continue this level of support with your help. So donate early and often. Please click the button below to make your donation.
The Foundation is a 501c3 charitable organization, which means contributions are fully deductible.
Thank you!
ABVP VIN Rounds
ABVP is happy to partner with VIN to make Rounds available to all ABVP Diplomates. You must be a VIN member and/or an ABVP Diplomate to attend. Those who attend the live session earn 1 hour of CE credit. Sessions are also recorded for viewing later with NO CE credit attached.
Save The Dates!
Thursday, May 15, 8 PM Central Time
Integrated Seafood Science
Stephen Frattini, DVM, DABVP (Fish Practice)
Sunday, June 1, 8 PM Central Time
Bite Sized Fun! Dental Charting and Extractions
Carrie Muller, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline Practice)
If you have not received access to VIN, please email VIN directly at rounds@vin.com. ABVP cannot assist with access since Rounds are on the VIN platform.
If you are a newer Diplomate and interested in presenting, please email ce@abvp.com. Each lecture is about 50 minutes long and you will need to keep an eye on your lecture's message board after the lecture for a couple of weeks. VIN will pay you for your lecture. ABVP will help you with your lecture by assigning you a mentor, if you would like.
Residency and Job Postings
Don’t forget that ABVP has classified listings for open positions all over the world!
July 1, 2025
- 2025-2026 Diplomate and Emeritus Diplomate fees payable
July 15, 2025
Semi-Annual Residency Logs deadline. Logs must be submitted online by 11:59 PM Central Time
MOC Renewal Applications deadline.
December 31, 2025
- Final date to be called a Diplomate for those who failed to MOC on time
January 15, 2026
Credentials deadline for both Initial Applications and Re-Applications. All documentation must be submitted online by 11:59 PM Central Time
Swine Health Management Entry Exam registration and fee deadline. Registration must be completed online account by 11:59 PM Central Time
Semi-Annual Residency Logs deadline. Logs must be submitted online by 11:59 PM Central Time
April 9-12, 2026
- ABVP Symposium, Boston, Massachusetts
