AVMA announces annual animal welfare contest datesSeptember 21, 2018The Intercollegiate Animal Welfare Assessment Contest (AWJAC) will be held at Colorado State University from Nov. 16-18. The contest is open to veterinary students, undergraduates, and graduate students, with a limited number of American Veterinary Medical Association members able to attend as noncompetitive participants. Participants will learn to assess the welfare of animals in a variety of settings using science-based methods and reasoning, and are given the opportunity to weigh evidence and present sound evaluations. This year, contestants will be expected to assess the welfare of a variety of species, including dairy goats, egg-laying ducks, green iguanas, and polo ponies. Up to eight AVMA members will be selected to participate. To apply, download the member application form from awjac.org, and submit by Sept. 28.
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AVMA helps veterinarians prepare pet owners in event of disasterSeptember 6, 2018With hurricane season in full swing, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has gathered resources that veterinarians can share with pet owners to help them prepare for the impact of these potentially devastating storms. The resources provided are made to help owners assemble a pet evacuation kit prior to an incident, deal with a lost pet, and figure out what to do after a disaster. Pet evacuation kit Assemble the kit well in advance of any emergency and store in an easy-to-carry, waterproof container close to an exit. Food and medicine Three to seven days' worth of dry and canned (pop-top) food* Two-week supply of medicine* At least a seven-days supply of water Feeding dish and water bowl Liquid dish soap *Rotate and replace these items to ensure they don't expire. First aid kit Antidiarrheal liquid or tablets Antibiotic ointment Bandage tape and scissors Cotton bandage rolls Flea and tick prevention (if needed in your area) Isopropyl alcohol/alcohol prep pads Latex gloves Saline solution Towel and washcloth Tweezers Sanitation Litter, litter pan, and scoop (a shirt box with a plastic bag works well for pan) Newspaper, paper towels, and trash bags Household chlorine beach or disinfectant …
AVMA offers new veterinary team development resourceSeptember 4, 2018The American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) new teambuilding resource is designed to help create a more positive veterinary work environment. Team-building Exercises: Three Paths to Stronger Teams provides step-by-step instructions for running a variety of team-based challenges and fun competitions at work. These activities can help veterinarians engage with their staff in exciting new ways while offering opportunities for them to grow and overcome challenges together and to build camaraderie. The new team-building activity guide joins a suite of other AVMA tools designed to practitioners manage and build a stronger team for their businesses: New Hire Training helps veterinarians connect with new employees as soon as they join the staff Employee Performance Feedback helps implement a formal communication plan that supports employee growth Effective Team Meetings helps run gatherings that motivate, elevate, and inform staff All four resources are free and available exclusively to AVMA members. Located in the practice management section of our website, access them directly by visiting avma.org/TeamCPR. Practice owners or managers looking for more teambuilding strategies can visit the AVMA Veterinary Career Center's latest webinar,
Veterinary groups support protecting, strengthening licensure requirementsAugust 30, 2018The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) have released a joint statement in support of standardizing and improving licensure requirements and standards for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Licensure ensures veterinary professionals meet a necessary level of competence through recognized educational programs and successful completion of an examination, said the organizations in a statement. Additionally, licensure ensures that veterinarians are properly trained to comply with state regulations on controlled substances such as opioids. "Veterinarians take care of our pets, protect our food supply, defend against bioterrorism and prevent diseases that threaten public health," said John de Jong, DVM, AVMA president. "It's important we ensure that each member of the veterinary profession, including veterinary technicians, is armed with the necessary knowledge to do these jobs effectively. Strong licensing standards help us do that." "Professional licensure goes to the heart of protecting the health and wellbeing of people and animals," said Andrew T. Maccabe, DVM, MPH, JD, AAVMC CEO. "It also affects the future development …
AVMA MyVeterinaryLife website supports early-career vets, studentsAugust 27, 2018MyVeterinaryLife.com, a new American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) website for early-career veterinarians and vet students, answers commonly asked questions about the industry and offers career tips, financial guidance, and ways to deal with work-related stress. MyVeterinaryLife.com is dedicated to offering a chance for trainees in the field to receive the critical resources veterinary students and young professionals need to support themselves and their well-being as the next generation of veterinarians, according to the AVMA. Organized based on career stage, the site includes sections for readers in veterinary school, in transition from school to the workforce, or already working as a veterinarian. The platform also provides access to a salary calculator, a student externship locator, and the ProQOL well-being assessment. Other tools on the site include financial tips for fourth-year veterinary students, a series of webinars exploring different veterinary careers, lessons on financial literacy, and more.
FDA releases new vet resource for prescribing opioidsAugust 23, 2018The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is launching a new resource guide for veterinarians prescribing opioids for pain management in animals. The issue has come to the fore due to the opioid crisis and the occurrence of people hurting their pets to gain access to the drugs. The FDA says it is committed to addressing the misuse and abuse of drugs on all fronts, with a significant focus on decreasing exposure to opioids and preventing new addiction by taking steps to encourage more appropriate prescribing, said FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, in an official statement. While any health care provider can take advantage of the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy program for opioid analgesics, there hasn't been a lot of information tailored specifically to veterinary medicine, he added. "That's why we have developed a new resource containing information and recommendations specifically for veterinarians who stock and administer opioids," Dr. Gottlieb said. "Today, we're issuing important information for veterinarians to ensure they have additional context regarding the potential for people to misuse the products they are prescribing to their animal patients." The issue of abuse stems from the lack of opioids specifically approved for use in animals, …
AVMA annual report highlights 2017 achievements, programs, initiativesAugust 7, 2018The American Veterinary Medical Association's 2017 Annual Report, released Aug. 1, offers a glimpse into progress the association has made in its ongoing effort to support its members and enhance the practice of veterinary medicine. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association subscribers receive a copy of the report; members who don't receive JAVMA can read it online. Report highlights: AVMA LIFE and AVMA Professional Liability Insurance Trust merged with the goal to provide enhanced services and expanded products for members. The Veterinary Career Center (VCC) was used by 23,907 veterinary job seekers and 3,438 employers, with 17,377 jobs posted during the year. It continues to be the premier job board for veterinary medicine. More than 1,000 veterinary professionals earned CE credit while learning about different careers during live webinars offered by the VCC. The American Animal Hospital Association/Veterinary Management Group Chart of Accounts was revised, expanded, and made available to all veterinary professionals. It provides an accessible way for smaller practices to better organize finances. The association hired its first-ever director of member well-being and diversity initiatives, whose work has focused on enhancing …
House, Senate pass animal drug user fee legislationAugust 1, 2018The U.S. House and Senate have passed the Animal Drug and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2018 (HR 5554/S 2434), which are vital to increasing veterinary access to drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The House passed the bill on July 16, and the Senate passed the bill on July 31. The legislation includes language that would expand conditional approvals beyond minor uses and minor species. The animal drug user fee amendments will reauthorize the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine to continue collecting animal drug and animal generic drug user fees from the drugs' sponsors. These fees, coupled with annual appropriations, support FDA's animal drug review processes and ultimately improve veterinary access to FDA-approved drugs. Conditional approval of new animal drugs will incentivize the development of new and innovative products for conditions that prove particularly difficult to study, according to the AVMA. "By providing new animal drugs with a predictable pathway to market, these fees help provide veterinarians with access to new and additional tools that can potentially improve treatment outcomes, provide alternatives to existing therapies, fill unmet medical needs in veterinary medicine, and ultimately …
Client toolkit: AVMA offers Check the Chip Day resourcesJuly 27, 2018Aug. 15 is national Check the Chip Day, a reminder for pet owners to check and update their companions' microchip registry information. Sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association, Check the Chip Day helps veterinarians extend client relationships by working with them to ensure their families will be reunited if pets become lost. To help educate clients about microchipping and the importance of keeping chip registration current, the AVMA is offering a Check the Chip Day Toolkit with a range of materials to promote and prepare for the day. The toolkit offers: A client handout to help owners keep track of their pet's microchip information and know when the chip registry was last checked Suggestions for stress-free ways to observe the day and for sharing information with clients Ready-to-use social media posts and images A full-size version of a microchipping infographic for website or social media use A newsletter article for email or print A sample proclamation that can be personalized for use by your local or state government A customizable
John Howe, DVM, named AVMA president-electJuly 18, 2018John Howe, DVM, of Grand Rapids, Minn., has been named president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
