President's Message
Jon Townsend, DVM, PhD, DABVP (Dairy Practice), President
Greetings fellow Diplomates. When I cursed Punxsutawney Phil for seeing his shadow, I didn’t know what was waiting for us. I know it’s been a tough month. To all of you that experienced the abnormally cold and snowy weather in Texas and other states, my heart goes out to you. We were experiencing some bitter cold here in Indiana as well, but we kind of expect a bitter blast from time to time. I can only imagine trying to get through that weather without power or water. My kudos to all of you for continuing to provide services the best you could to your patients and clients. But I have come to expect nothing less from some of the best veterinary practitioners in the world.
I wanted to take the time to update you all on what the Council of Regents and the Board of Directors have been up to.
1. After a lot of great discussion, we have decided on a new Credentialing Blueprint. The Credentials Committee will undertake the task of implementing the Blueprint and handling the details of making the transition. The new Blueprint will be implemented for the applications due January 15th, 2023. Along with implementation we will also perform evaluation of the credentials requirements to see if they are adequately identifying qualified candidates to sit for the exams.
2. We are moving forward with Strategic Planning and Board Development. We have chosen a highly qualified organization that we all feel very comfortable with to help us through this very important process.
3. Dr. Mike Dutton and Marisa are continuing to work to look at software options that will allow us to manage all of our data, including Credentials, Exams, and MOC in a much more unified and simple way. While there may be some initial, relatively small investments we should save money, time, and stress over the long haul.
4. The Nominating Committee is working hard under the direction of Dr. Tracey Jensen to provide a slate of highly qualified candidates for your consideration.
5. Dr. Brita Kiffney and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ad hoc committee continue to help position ABVP as a leader among other veterinary groups in this important area.
I want to thank all of the wonderful volunteers that make ABVP successful. We may not always get it right, but we are always trying to do what is best for you.
Finally, with the first hints of Spring starting to show here in Indiana, my mood is improving. I know some of you love winter, but I live for the rebirth of life that we see in spring and early summer – even if it means mud season! I get excited to see newborn calves in the pastures. Thinking of warmer months gets me thinking about the future and a big occasion that lies on the horizon for ABVP is our Symposium. We are working hard and hopeful that we can have a great in-person activity in New Orleans from September 16th through the 19th. I want to get out and finally see my fellow Diplomates for real and not on darn computer screens. We will keep you updated but I hope you put this on your schedule and even better, get in contact with Dr. Carondelet Nollner - the Symposium Chair I am sure she would love any help you can give her and the committee.
As always, I hope the next month is kind to you all. Stay well at your end of the barn.
The Foundation Needs YOU
Warm winter greetings from the ABVP Foundation! We wanted to be sure everyone is aware of an outstanding opportunity to support the past, present, and (perhaps most importantly) future of our specialty! In doing so, you will also obtain the fringe benefit of a fully deductible donation for your 2021 taxes.
What is the ABVP Foundation?
“The ABVP Foundation’s Mission is to Advance and Elevate the Health and Well-being of Animals”
Specific examples of worthy causes supported by the Foundation include:
- Denny French Fellowships (Funds awarded to outstanding veterinary students to defray the cost of attending the annual Symposium)
- Abstract and poster awards (Support the hard work and investigative minds of hard working ABVP residents)
- Research grants (Giving back to our profession and supporting progressive developments to further elevate our level of care)
As a volunteer-run organization, we are asking for any time, talent, or treasure you would be willing to give to further support our work in these areas. Here are some specific needs to consider:
1. Time and Talent
We are looking for people to serve as school-specific representatives to promote the availability of the Denny French Fellowships (see above) as well as ABVP in general. With the upcoming Symposium, awareness of and applications for the fellowship are the primary goal. With a hopeful impending recovery from the pandemic there may be more opportunities to promote ABVP. If you have any interest in this area, please contact Thomas (Tom) Hansen - twhansen@yahoo.com.
2. Treasure
Stay tuned for upcoming raffle, auction, and other opportunities to fundraise for YOUR Foundation! As always, donations are welcomed and greatly appreciated at any time. Donations can be made through the main ABVP website under the "About" heading then click on "ABVP Foundation".
Sincerely,
Thomas (Tom) Hansen, DVM DABVP
ABVP Foundation Board Member
Work in an emergency practice or have a background in it?
Calling all Diplomates working in emergency or with an emergency background. We are researching an emergency track for ABVP Symposium and are interested in connecting with our Diplomates in all RVS that have experience in emergency practice and may have interest in presenting at Symposium on an emergency topic within your scope of practice. Please provide your contact information, the topics you may have interest in presenting and any previous experience presenting on this emergency related topic using the link below.
Residency and Job Postings
Don’t forget ABVP has classified listings for open positions all over the USA!
Event Calendar 2021-2022
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
September 1, 2021
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
September 15, 2021
ABVP Exam (All Exams)
September 16-19, 2021
- ABVP Symposium, New Orleans, Louisiana
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 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
