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CVMA Leadership Conference = BIG Ideas Forum
The CVMA Leadership Conference is now the BIG Ideas Forum!
Over the years, after each leadership conference, we’ve heard members say “Wow, I wish I’d been there! I didn’t know I could attend, I thought it was just for CVMA leaders and not for members.” Realizing that we needed to let members know they are welcome—and enthusiastically encouraged to participate—discussions around the CVMA Leadership Conferences began in 2008 with the goal of creating an event that would be more inclusive and stimulating for all CVMA members.
To that end, the small workgroup—Ralph Johnson, Drs. Jed Rogers, Bill Fredregill, Melanie Marsden, and Ashley Calvin-Lang—began brainstorming and strategizing how to better structure and present the leadership conferences. And while it’s taken a year to achieve those goals, CVMA is now proud to present the new and improved leadership conference, rebranded the BIG Ideas Forum.
The biggest change—besides the new, more descriptive name—is the schedule. Rather than a two-day event that mandates an overnight stay, the Issues Forum, Commission meetings, and Board meeting (which all voting members are encouraged to attend) will all take place on Saturday, wrapping up around 6:00 PM to allow everyone to head home rather than spend the night. The Executive Committee meeting will still be held on Fridayafternoon, and a reception that is open to all will follow. Anyone interested in attending is welcome to come and spend the night if they wish. CVMA secures a reduced rate at the hotel for attendees.
So you might be asking, “What’s it all about? Why should I attend?” Each conference has a dedicated focus where we tackle important subjects that span all practice types and look at emerging issues that affect the veterinaryprofession. We carefully select the discussion leaders, inviting the best and brightest to share their knowledge, insight, and expertise with our members. Another reason to participate is that you have direct access to CVMA leadership and issues, and can help guide CVMA, generating ideas that direct our continuing education offerings, shape our position on legislative and regulatory issues, and lead to task forces or work groups for specific issues we decide to pursue.
CVMA will hold its BIG Ideas Forum in Vail, Colorado on April 30 and May 1, 2010. All CVMA members are invited and encouraged to attend the forum. Join your colleagues as we:
- Explore issues of importance to the profession and the association
- Identify desired outcomes, and
- Develop recommendations for board consideration.
AT ISSUE
Veterinary Capacity Shortage: Would Changing NAVLE Make a Difference?
The Spring 2010 BIG Ideas Forum will explore the issue of veterinary capacity shortage and discuss some concepts for reform in veterinary education and professional licensure. These topics emanate from the 2007 Foresight Report commissioned by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), and have been refined through small group meetings led by industry and professional leaders.
In May of 2008, a half-day discussion was held in Kansas City with senior representatives of the following institutions: AAHA, AVMA, AAVMC, AAVSB, Animal Health Institute, five veterinary colleges (CSU, Auburn, Kansas State, Washington State, UC-Davis), Bayer, Eli Lilly, Fort Dodge, Merial, Pfizer, Hill's, Abbott, MWI Veterinary Supply, VCA/Antech, Banfield, Advanstar, IDEXX and MediMedia. An ad hoc working group was created at that meeting, and members attending this BIG Ideas Forum will be:
- Lance Perryman, DVM, dean of the CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
- Janet Donlin, DVM, chief of the Veterinary Business Channel at Hill’s Pet Nutrition
- Kent McClure, DVM, JD, of the Animal Health Institute, and
- Mark Cushing, JD, outside government relations counsel to Banfield and Mars, Inc.
The issues of greatest interest involve size of veterinary student debt, perceived shortage of veterinarians across sectors, and the enormous financial/political barriers to expanding veterinary schools in the United States. The Kansas City discussion was remarkable in the sense of the quality and breadth of participation, and the consensus that a specific practical reform could have a meaningful impact and may have a chance to be implemented. Kansas City participants were only interested in reforms that were practical and achievable.
The discussion with CVMA members at the BIG Ideas Forum will present an analysis of the issues from the perspective of companion animal, food animal and public sector practitioners, and the rationale for the particular reform being proposed. A brief presentation will set the stage for dialog with the issue experts and Forum participants, with consideration given to developing a pilot reform project that could be implemented on a national scale.
Discussion will concentrate on:
- whether there is a shortage of veterinary capacity;
- the options American veterinary schools have at their disposal to address the shortage of capacity;
- a specific reform proposal for the NAVLE (which has been discussed with the National Board of Veterinary medical Examiners);
- the connection between this NAVLE reform and veterinary school curriculums; and
- the merits of this and other potential reforms.
CVMA Forums are always engaging, energizing, and informative events, and this one will be no exception. Plus, as a Forum attendee, you will earn three CE credits – BONUS, no charge! – as you help shape the course of CVMA and organized veterinary medicine.
REGISTRATION
An RSVP form for the leadership conference is available by clicking here. Please fax your response to the CVMA office at your earliest convenience – but no later than Friday, April 16, 2010.
CONFERENCE “FAST FACTS”
Location – BIG Ideas Forum Spring 2010 will be held at the Vail Cascade, 1300 Westhaven Dr., Vail, CO 81657
Directions:
From the East: Take I-70 West. Exit 176 (main Vail). At end of ramp, enter roundabout and go to the left under the Interstate. Enter the 2nd roundabout and turn right onto South Frontage Road (toward Lionshead). Follow the frontage road signs that direct you to the ‘Cascade Village.' The resort is approximately 1.5 miles on the left.
From the West: Take I-70 East for approximately 40 minutes. Exit 173 (West Vail). Enter roundabout and follow signs to South Frontage Road/Vail Village/Lionshead. Follow the frontage road signs that direct you to the ‘Cascade Village.' The resort is located one mile on the right.
Minutes – Click here to download all the commission and board minutes from the 2009 Fall Leadership Conference in Denver.
Agendas – If you would like to place an item on an agenda, please contact your committee/commission chair or district representative by April 5, 2010. Committee/commission chairs and district representatives should submit agenda items to the CVMA office by April 12, 2010.
Work Group Meetings – If your committee or task force would like a room to hold a meeting on Friday afternoon, please let me know and we’ll find a meeting space for you.
Lodging – CVMA has arranged a discounted room rate at the Vail Cascade of $109 per night single/double occupancy. Please contact reservations at 800.420.2424 or by email at Vcr-Groupres@destinationhotels.com prior to April 9, 2010 in order to receive the discounted rate. Please state that you are with the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association.
Reception – On Friday evening at 6 PM, you’re invited to a reception for all attendees. CVMA will provide the snacks, a cash bar will be available, and relaxed interaction continues! This reception is especially provided to facilitate networking of interest groups and species groups.
Board Meeting – The Board of Directors will convene on Saturday at 3:30 PM. Please note that CVMA officers, district representatives, commission chairs, Student Chapter representative, Public Sector Veterinarians Interest Group representative, and appointed liaisons are invited to attend the board meeting. A commission chair may invite a committee or task force representative to be present at the board meeting if clarification or explanation of a work group issue will be helpful to board deliberations. In this case, please advise the CVMA office.
GENERAL INFORMATION
BIG Ideas Forum Overview
CVMA holds BIG Ideas Forums at twice a year - spring and fall. The conferences are vital to the health of CVMA because they bring the association's Leadership Council together to:
- explore issues
- identify desired outcomes
- develop recommendations for board consideration
- review progress on action plans, and
- build community
While a basic framework exists for the conferences, the structure is dynamic and open by design so that the Forum can chart a course it deems appropriate for current circumstances.
Leadership Council
The Leadership Council serves as both a brain trust and talent pool for CVMA. It is comprised of all volunteers who are appointed to serve on a CVMA work group (e.g. commission, committee, subcommittee, task force), members of the Board of Directors, liaisons, staff, and interested members. It provides a body of volunteers who are asked to examine issues through dialogue and bring their wisdom and experience to bear on the issues. The Leadership Council is convened at each forum, and may also be asked for guidance periodically via mail, telephone, or electronic means.
Members of the Leadership Council have committed themselves to this dialogue, and to being available for appointment to a work group as needs are identified. Any member may join the leadership Council simply by expressing an interest in doing so to a member of the Board of Directors (who will subsequently inform the headquarters office). Any member who is appointed to a work group automatically becomes a member of the Leadership Council. Leadership Council membership is continuous - even after the completion of a work group assignment - until the member indicates he or she wishes to conclude service on the council.
CE Credits
The Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine typically approves three continuing education credits for each BIG Ideas Forum. In order to earn the CE credits, veterinarians must participate in each of the presentations and activities on Saturday. As a service to our members, CVMA updates and maintains the continuing education credits for all CVMA programs. CVMA will distribute a sign-in sheet at each meeting to help us maintain an attendees CE list for each Forum. This information can be accessed at any time. Please call CVMA at 303.318.0447 if you have any questions.
Past Leadership Conferences
For information and links from past conferences, click here. |
