ABVP October 2020 Newsletter
President's Message
Jon Townsend, DVM, PhD, DABVP (Dairy Practice), President
Well, another month has passed! Autumn has definitely begun to settle in around my Hoosier farmstead. The mornings are crisp and occasionally frosty. There is constant activity of combines and grain trucks getting in the harvest of corn and soybeans. I see flocks of birds gathering and migrating. As I slow down and appreciate the beauty of nature around me I am also struck by the changing leaves on the trees. We have a great mix of bright yellows, fiery oranges, and brilliant reds. I am inspired by the incredible diversity in the forest and how all the trees contribute to a great tapestry that I can enjoy.
As I look at the forest, it reminds me of the group of people that I love – my fellow ABVP Diplomates. Due to our species specialist focus we have an incredible amount of variety, yet we all strive to be the best of the best. I love going to our meetings and talking to canine, equine, and avian specialists (if your group was left out I sincerely apologize!). I love my bovine colleagues but it’s great to talk to specialists in other species!
So, where does this rambling monologue lead? When I became President in July I appointed an ad hoc committee, chaired by Dr. Brita Kiffney, to examine ABVP’s diversity and inclusivity. It was amazing to me that if somebody had asked me, the President of this respected body of veterinarians, about our demographics, I could have given no honest answer. I have no idea of how we look based on gender, race, or other factors. The ad hoc committee took the charge to submit a survey to start ascertaining what we “look” like. While some of you may think this fact-finding has no place in our group, I would disagree, but respect your viewpoint. My vision for our profession, and even more so the ABVP, is that we reflect the greater population from which we are derived. If both veterinary medicine and the ABVP are monolithic and look like me (a very scary thought!) we are poorer for it. A variety of life experiences within a group make it stronger. I want to build a foundation so that people that look different from me will consider veterinary medicine as a career, and better yet, consider the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners as a pathway to demonstrate their excellence as veterinarians. Only by gathering preliminary information can we hope to ever assess our condition and know if we are doing a good job and, if not, what we can do to improve. It will be a long journey and I am sure there will be disagreements and missteps along the way, but in the end I believe we will be better for it.
As always feel free to reach out to me. Until we meet again, take time to enjoy the beauty of Autumn and stay well!
ABVP Foundation Update
Julie Gamble, DVM, DABVP (Canine and Feline Practice), Chair, ABVP Foundation
With the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic we have all had to change the way we live our lives and interact with others. This year the ABVP Symposium was cancelled which put our plans for an in-person fundraiser on hold. As a group we brainstormed how we could fundraise virtually this year and we are excited to announce that we want to hold a virtual “Air ABVP” Auction. In order to do this, we need donations of vacation homes or places, retreats, or tickets to a special event from our members (or person or organization the member is connected to). We will then hold a virtual auction and all dollars collected will go to the ABVP Foundation so we can continue to advance and promote the health and wellbeing of animals with the Denny French Fellows, Abstract/Poster
Awards, and Research Grants.
If you can help the ABVP Foundation with a donation, please contact me via email or voice mail at 970-217-3366.
Dr. Lori Teller, candidate for President of the AVMA
I wanted to share the candidacy of Dr. Lori Teller, DABVP (Canine and Feline Practice) for President of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Our organization is full of high achieving veterinarians, but even by our high standards Dr. Lori Teller stands out. I’m not sure, but think it would be easier to identify Texas veterinary organizations that she has not actively participated in rather than the ones she has! She is a Past-President of the Harris County and Texas Veterinary Medical Association and was a recipient of numerous awards including the President’s Award in 2007, 2009 and 2016. In September 2019, she was honored with the Visionary Award by the Southwest Veterinary Symposium. Dr. Teller has served on several committees and task forces for
the AVMA, including the Animal Welfare Committee and the State Advocacy Committee. She currently serves as Chair of the AVMA Board of Directors. Dr. Teller has served as the Chair of the Board of Certification for the American Society of Veterinary Journalists and was a founding Board member of the Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative. She was named one of 14 Veterinarians to Watch by Veterinary Practice News, and she has a monthly radio spot on Houston’s NPR radio stations. She serves as an educator and mentor to many veterinary students, recent graduates, and young leaders, helping them navigate the complicated world of veterinary medicine
Dr. Teller identified diversity and inclusion as one of the largest challenges facing the AVMA, and stresses that addressing this will take time, resources and dedication. Dr. Teller understands the importance of working with affinity groups and industry, and has a wealth of experience bringing diverse perspectives together. She also sees veterinary technician/nurse utilization and retention as a key concern industry wide.
Please contact your AVMA delegate to let them know if you support her candidacy for President. Find your AVMA delegate here: https://www.avma.org/about/house-of-delegates-directory
Shelter Medicine Perception
Dr. Lauren Powell and the Penn Vet Shelter Medicine program are looking for participants to complete a survey about their perceptions of shelter medicine. The survey aims to identify barriers that prevent or deter veterinarians from working in the field and to understand the characteristics of shelter medicine that are appealing to veterinarians. If you are a veterinarian or a veterinary student you are eligible to participate. The survey is voluntary, and your answers will be anonymous. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. If you’d like to participate in the research study, please click on the link below. If you have any questions about the study, please email Dr. Powell at lrpowell@upenn.edu.
MOC Update...Repeated...Again
Renee Rucinsky, DVM, DABVP (Feline Practice), Maintenance of Certification Chair
There is great news on many fronts for your maintenance of certification process. The new platform is up and running. It’s very different from what you may have been used to before, but I promise you’ll get used to it. It’s super easy! Most importantly, though, you will need to keep track of what you upload (just make a list somewhere), because once you send it up through the system, it won’t be visible to you that you’ve uploaded. There is an option before you submit to receive an email confirming your submission. However, it will not keep a running total for you.
Also, please be sure to use the prescribed file naming system as noted on the platform front page. If you upload files that are not named correctly, they may become lost and will not be used.
The vice chairs of each RVS will be monitoring your progress over your 10-year maintenance of certification period. Although we are able to look at individual submissions in real-time, it is not reasonable for the MOC committee to check after each time something is submitted. As above, please keep track of what you’ve submitted. When requests to review your personal file are sent, please allow several weeks for a response.
Your RVS MOC teams are working hard developing the journal club, and are excited to add that in January 2021. WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF HELP FOR ECM! If you are an ECM Diplomate looking for a way to help your organization, we need an ECM MOC vice chair. Please let me know if you are interested and want more information. AND AND AND --- this position will satisfy your service points requirement!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to send me an email (a polite one with a greeting, etc) and I’ll do my best to help you through things.
Residency and Job Postings
Don’t forget ABVP has classified listings for open positions all over the USA!
Event Calendar 2020-2021
January 15, 2021
Credentials documentation deadline for both Initial Applications and Re-Applications. All documentation must be submitted via your ABVP online account by 11:59 P.M. Central Time
Swine Health Management Entry Exam registration and fee deadline. Registration must be completed via your ABVP online account by 11:59 P.M. Central Time
Semi-Annual Residency Logs deadline. Logs must be submitted via your ABVP SmartSheet account by 11:59 P.M. Central Time
July 1, 2021
2021-2022 Diplomate Fees payable via your ABVP online account
July 15, 2021
Semi-Annual Residency Logs deadline. Logs must be submitted via your ABVP SmartSheet account by 11:59 PM Central Time
July 31, 2021
Diplomates with unpaid Diplomate fees are removed from the “Find a Diplomate” search feature on the ABVP website pending fees being paid
September 1
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
