Beginning in November 2021, VMAE has hosted a monthly series of webinars with best-in-class presenters to share insights that inform and inspire veterinary professionals on the many facets of practice health. The one-hour webinars (offered live and then available on demand) are available to VMA executives at no charge, so they in turn can offer the webinars to their members as a complimentary, value-added benefit of VMA membership. Given the changing landscape of veterinary practice over the past year, the VMAE Practice Health Committee determined that the term “veterinary practice...

Journey for Teams, the ambitious diversity, equity and inclusion initiative launched by VMAE and AVMA, announced the release of the first monthly learning module for workplaces in the veterinary profession. The module is titled “Fostering an Extraordinary Workplace - The Power of Diversity,” covering the importance of valuing diversity, self-reflection and a personal assessment of cultural knowledge, and encourages making a commitment to at least one action step. The release of the initial module follows last month’s unveiling of the “Welcome Webinar,” which outlines the Journey for Teams pathway, and the...

The VMAE resource pages contain value proposition statements about VMA membership that you can incorporate into your communications and membership renewal messaging points? This content, including sample renewal and prospective member letters, was developed by a VMAE Marketing Task Force and its consultant in 2020....

As mentioned earlier, VMAE participated in the Pet Healthcare Industry Summit, hosted by Banfield Pet Hospital in September. A wide-ranging professional and industry group ideated on potential solutions to address barriers in veterinary medicine around Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, mental health, and the talent challenges. To continue the conversation, the summit organizers pulled together a recap summarizing the “big ideas” that came out of the table discussions, which we would like to share with you as likely relevant to the conversations going on within your own VMAs. VMAE will continue...

The AVMA conducted language-focused research with pet owners across the United States to learn more about harnessing language to improve patient care. The research led to the development of tools and resources designed to assist veterinary teams integrate key words and phrases into daily conversations with clients. By using specific words and phrases, veterinary teams can build stronger and more trusting client relationships, increase compliance, and maximize patient outcomes. The Language of Veterinary Care research and tools are made possible in part by educational funding from CareCredit and Pets Best...

Fear Free, LLC, announced that over 100,000 veterinary and pet professionals have now earned the Fear Free Certified professional designation. Through the certification, veterinary professionals, animal trainers, pet sitters, groomers, and pet board and daycare providers can help prevent and ease fear, anxiety, and stress in animals. “Hitting this amazing milestone is a testament to how widely Fear Free education and certification has been embraced by those in the animal care industry,” said Ruth Garcia, CEO of Fear Free. “As we continue to build out the ecosystem of Fear Free Certified...

The Veterinary Hope Foundation is a non-profit committed to helping veterinarians and veterinary teams who are struggling with their mental health. The foundation employs nine licensed mental health professionals who lead veterinary support groups at no charge. There are support groups for new moms, shelter veterinarians, livestock veterinarians, practice owners, practice managers, and veterinary technicians. New groups are forming to meet the needs of those who reach out. Those interested in joining a support group can do so at www.veterinaryhope.org. “We’ve found that group members quickly form deep, authentic bonds because...

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Hi VMAE members, I am so honored to have been elected by you to be President this year. I am in awe of the Presidents I worked with during my time on the Board, and thank them all for creating new programs and making VMAE even more valuable to us all. While in Philadelphia for the VMAE Summer Conference, the Board developed a Strategic Plan for the next three years. A top priority is to make sure we have our whole team aligned around our new goals. One priority is to evaluate...

The weather turning cooler is a signal that the busy calendar of veterinary leadership and learning events is upon us. In the coming weeks, I will be attending the Veterinary Innovation Summit, the Pet Healthcare Industry Summit and Annual Meeting of the Catalyst Council. My role is to represent VMA executives collectively in these important professional conversations and ensure that you have a proverbial “seat at the table.” I look forward to hearing about the latest trends and thinking to take back to VMAE. Speaking of fall events, we have...