Bulletin. May 9 th : Neurology with Dr. Carley Giovanella. April 4 th : Infectious Diseases with Dr. Mike Lappin INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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1 A N I N F O R M A T I O N S E R V I C E O F T H E C H I C A G O V E T E R I N A R Y M E D I C A L A S S O C I A T I O N Bulletin Shap ing t h e F u ture of Vet er i n a r y M ed ici n e Pr om oti n g th e H u ma n - An ima l B ond ~ Sin ce ~ A P R I L / M A Y Please be sure to review the proposed bylaws change, listed on pg. 4 of this Bulletin. We strive to consistently improve your experience as a part of one of the largest regional VMA s! INSIDE THIS ISSUE Continuing Education April and May Events Presidents Thoughts 2 SWOT Analysis 3 New Members Bylaws Changes Pet Loss Support CVMA Classifieds 6 Relief Veterinarians 7 University of Illinois 8 April/May Calendar April 4 th : Infectious Diseases with Dr. Mike Lappin In this series, Dr. Lappin presents an update of canine and feline infectious diseases detailing discoveries made in the last 2 years associated with infectious disease issues common to Chicago-area veterinarians. Discussion of the basic neurology examination and how to address common neurological problems that come into every clinic at some time. When do you refer? What if the owner won t go to a specialist? The goal is to get attendees more comfortable managing neurological cases. Dr. Giovanella received her DVM from Tufts University, did a rotating internship at University of Georgia, and residency training in neurology and neurosurgery at both the University of Wisconsin Primary focus will be placed on flea & tick borne diseases in dogs and cats and how to distinguish them from immune -mediated diseases. The new AAFP & AAHA vaccine guidelines will be discussed, focusing on what is new in canine infectious cough syndrome and upper respiratory diseases of cats. When & how to use vaccines in these frustrating syndromes and new treatments plans will be presented. Michael Lappin DVM, PhD, DACVIM Dr. Lappin is Professor of Internal Medicine at Colorado State University s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. He studies feline infectious and immune-mediated diseas- and the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, England. She s also been a professor at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Since 2005, she has been with Gulf Coast Veterinary Surgery and es. He has received the Beecham Research Award and the Norden Distinguished Teaching Award. This course offers 6 hours of CE credit and lecture notes will be provided. Registration starts at 7:15am. The session runs 8am-3:30pm. Pre-Registration is $135 for CVMA members, $225 for non-members. An additional $30 fee applies to all on-site registrations. To pre-register for this course, please call, or log-on no later than Friday, March 30. No refunds after 3/30/12. May 9 th : Neurology with Dr. Carley Giovanella Carley Giovanella DVM, DACVIM works at their Neurology/ Neurosurgery facility. This course offers 6 hours of CE credit and lecture notes will be provided. Registration starts at 7:15am. The session runs 8am-3:30pm. Pre-Registration is $135 for CVMA members, $225 for non-members. An additional $30 fee applies to all on-site registrations. To pre-register for this course, please call, or log-on no later than Friday, May 4. No refunds after 5/4/12. Chicago Veterinary Medical Association is an AAVSB-RACE approved provider of Continuing Education - Provider #559. These CE programs have been submitted (but not yet approved) for hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however, participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education. Please call Richard Susralski, CVMA Executive Director, at (630) for further information.

2 P A G E 2 Dr. Alexis Newman, CVMA President 2012 Executive Officers President President-Elect Secretary Treasurer Past President Alexis Newman Georgie Ludwig Natalie Marks Richard Rossman David Saidel Board of Directors 3-Year Directors 2-Year Directors 1-Year Directors Rana Hafeez Mark Howes Jay Whittle James Ammirati Bathala Bhaskar Jill Keller Fred Goldenson Ericka Haynes Glen Romney ISVMA Representatives Jack Brar Sandra Faeh Todd Florian Natalie Marks CVMA Office Staff Executive Director Admin Assistants Legal Council Rich Susralski Roseanna Biehn Danielle Rothe Barb Yena Norm Bloch It s exciting Spring is almost here. We all know it has been an atypical winter, and we re hoping the snow -shoe doesn t drop, before spring really is here. Springing forward is a fun timethere is more sunlight, which means more time to be outdoors, which is truly refreshing. The only problem with that is that many of us spend many of those hours indoors, when it is so beautiful outside. However, that makes your day(s) off even that more enjoyable! This is what I also affectionately call Recruitment Season. We all know it the time when our newest veterinary colleagues graduate and may join your practice. Or, new and enthusiastic specialists are completing their residencies and moving from the environment of training to the environment where they are considered the expert! Exciting and intimidating all at once. For those colleagues looking to add an associate to your practice, I wish you the best President s Thoughts interviewing experiences and hope you find the perfect candidate. For those looking for their first job as a veterinarian or as a new specialists - I wish you the best, and hope you find the right practice for you, where you can thrive. And for those veterinarians just transitioning to a different practice, I wish you the best fit for you. If you enjoy your job, and are lucky enough, there are days it really is not work! The CVMA Executive Board is working on several important projects: *We are working toward recruiting a PR professional to help us to establish, or in some cases re-establish, connections with local media so we can achieve better exposure for the CVMA. *We have recently approved, Mr. Peter Weber, Executive Director for the ISVMA, as an honorary CVMA member. This will allow us to continue to improve our relationship with the ISVMA. *We are proposing a Bylaws change to the general membership, for voting at the May general meeting. This will allow one vote for the ISVMA representatives. Unlike the past, when all four representatives held their own vote, this bylaw proposal allows for a single vote for the entire group of IS- VMA representatives. This addresses several concerns, including 1) the need for a quorum at the meeting, 2) the desire for the vote to reflect the ISVMA. Please read through the proposed bylaw change (on page 4). Finally, the Continuing Education Committee will soon be going through the selection process for choosing next year s speakers. They always do an amazing job and I know I enjoy looking at the annual brochure that arrives to see what great lecturers they have lined up. Thank you for all the hard work that is put into this planning. Happy Spring! Alexis Newman alexis.newman@vcahospitals.com Stay up-to to-date regarding Drug Shortages: Visit the FDA s website for the latest updates on drug shortages/backorders: The Bulletin, a publication of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, is published bi-monthly to members free of charge. Information and advice presented in this publication does not necessarily represent the views of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association. General Membership Meeting during May 9 th CE Lunch During the May 9 CE lunch, the CVMA will hold a General Membership meeting in order to present and discuss proposed bylaw changes for voting rights of ISVMA Representatives. The proposed bylaw changes can be found on page 4 of this Bulletin.

3 Using SWOT Analysis to Help Build Profitable Growth P A G E 3 By Howard Friedman, MBA What is the best way for veterinarians and owners to strengthen/grow their practices? First, look internally at your Strengths and Weaknesses. These are what you do well and poorly things you can control. Second, review your pet-owner community and competition in terms of external Opportunities and Threats. These are things you can t directly control. The resulting information helps create insights and a roadmap for the best choices to help your practice grow and thrive. SWOT analyses create a holistic view of your practice. Its a disciplined approach that will create a story about what you do well/poorly and provide insights on things you should/could change to make your practice more effective in meeting client needs and become financially stronger. According to estimates, the lifetime value of a patient can be $4,000-$10,000. You need to find them, nurture relationships and build a client loyalty. Step 1: Internal Assessments (Strengths and Weaknesses) Quantitative data is easily accessible within your practice management software. Gather annual comparisons of revenue, profitability and production per full-time vet. Review data on revenue from new clients and returning clients. Assess revenue by species. Identify which procedures are the most/least profitable. Qualitative data combines observation, staff input and client insight. Review owner demographics, breeds and species of pets owned. Are you near breeders, shelters or rescues? What do clients like best/least about your practice. Identify why non-clients don t use you. Review staff communication skills, how friendly and service-oriented are they with new or returning clients. Review your communications to your community/clients. Is your website professional? How do prospective clients find you/ learn about your practice? How/When do you communicate with clients? Why do clients leave your practice? Step 2: External Assessment (Opportunities and Threats) It s important to look at the community & its potential impact on your practice. How many competitors do you have within 10 miles? How do their services, facilities, prices compare with yours? What s their reputation? What do pet owners say in online reviews? What s happening in the community that will impact the number of pet owners? Step 3: Interpreting the results and developing an action plan Make it easier for new clients to find you and make an appointment. Fix the most important shortcomings and those elements that don t make clients happy. These dis-satisfiers result in negative reviews and poor word-of-mouth referrals. Do more of what matters to clients and ensure your fees cover costs. Prompt appointment scheduling, online reminders, regular education s/newsletters that reinforce regular wellness visits (not just vaccines). Identify what s profitable & what you want to do & do more of it. Step 4: Set Quantifiable Goals Consider giving your practice several measurable goals. Examples: 1) Increase total revenue by X% within 12 months. 2) Increase practice profitability by X% within 12 months. 3) Increase the number of new clients by X by the end of the year. 4) Increase total revenue by X% from current clients by end of the year. 5) Reduce current client loss by 10% within 12 months. Step 5: Implementing Strategy Once you ve determined your goals, decide what to implement first. Consider implementation difficulty/cost and look for low hanging fruit : What will solidify relationships with current clients? Eliminate dissatisfiers and offer additional services clients will pay to receive. What will bring the most new clients into the practice? Invest in new client marketing, your website and encourage current clients to refer their friends. What services would you like to do more of to build profitability? Promote these to current & new clients. Cost / Benefit Assessment: Recalling that profitability is important, consider the costs related to providing incremental services. Some investments should be capitalized over multiple years (e.g. new equipment) - others should be profitable sooner. Also consider if there s enough profit potential to justify implementing changes. Step 6: Tactical Execution: Now that you ve identified what pet owners want, how much they might purchase and how much you can charge, you need to decide which to implement now and which to defer. Measuring Results and Fine Tuning Measure everything. Keep track of revenues generated and costs to implement. Determine how many new clients and how much they spent. Measure revenue changes for existing clients that received educational newsletters/ s. Be prepared to fine-tune. Your goal should be steady profit growth over time and increased client satisfaction. Conclusions: Veterinary practices are facing unprecedented challenges from an everexpanding range of competitors. SWOT analysis helps practices identify the most important areas to focus management attention. It can also provide a roadmap to help identify where to apply resources for improved client acquisition, retention and improved operations for profitable growth. To view this article in its entirety, please visit the CVMA website at: Howard Friedman, MBA, is a veterinary marketing consultant and member of Vet- Partners. He can be reached at (818) or howard@hffconsulting.com.

4 P A G E Committee Chairs Animal Welfare Bylaws Communications Continuing Education Historian Human Animal Bond Legislative Marketing Member/Fellowship Nominations Public Education Scholarship Veterinary Technician Tracey Hlede Shannon Greeley CVMA Office Yuval Nir Glen Romney Don Sedlacek Raymond Wise Lori Coughlin Judith Rae Swanson Shannon Greeley Yuval Nir Christie Comm David Saidel Kathy Heneghan Lori Civello OPEN Pet Loss Services are provided by CVMA s Human Animal Bond Committee Christie Comm, Membership Committee Co-Chair New Members Please welcome the new CVMA members who have joined our strong and growing association. These folks joined from 1/25/12 3/20/12. And, as you can see in this list below, our newly appointed Student Liaison, Josie Miller, is setting a very high standard of achievement for new student recruits. Way to go Josie! Students: Jessica Byerly (IL 15) Ronnie R Sprunger (IL 12) Alyssa Weeden (IL 15) Alison Abou-Daoud (IL 12) Rebecca Anderson (IL 13) Rhiannon Ardisana (IL 13) Barbara Batke (IL 13) Stephanie Bender (IL 13) Robin E. Bohaty (IL 13) Joseph Cacioppo (IL 19) Stephen Delia (IL 13) Christine Fox (IL 13) Bylaws Committee After reviewing the Bylaws with legal counsel, the following change/addition to the bylaw was proposed: One vote total for the ISVMA Pet Loss Services Human Animal Bond Pet Loss Support Helpline: (630) The helpline is available to those in need of grief support. Wings Meetings: The Wings Support Group meets each first Wednesday Welcome New Members: Lee Diana (IL 13) Sarah Semon (IL 15) Matthew Cornell (IL 15) Ashley Leisering (IL 15) Heather Davis (IL 13) Stephanie DeRosa (IL 13) Amanda Smith (IL 15) Vanessa Yeager (IL 15) Andrea Compton (IL 12) Lei Wang (IL 12) Rebecca Brockman (IL 13) Jessica Corrie (IL 14) Nicole Gillham (IL 14) Brittany A. Hasselberg (IL 12) Jane Hill (IL 12) Heather P Johnson (IL 12) Traci Leslie (IL 12) Kirsten Magnuson (IL 12) David Kaufman (IL 13) Wesley Pasquette (IL 15) Stefanie Reed (IL 15) Bridget Sheehan (IL 15) Katie Stoll (IL 12) Matthew Timmons (IL 12) Kate Varela (IL 12) Emily Yacker (IL 13) Jennifer Yip (IL 12) Tricia Mullin (IL 15) Terrell Lloyd (IL 15) representatives. Their vote is determined by the representative(s) in attendance. This vote should reflect the view of the ISVMA, not the individual representative. If there is more than one representative in attendance, and of the month at 7:30pm at the CVMA office in Burr Ridge. There is no cost to attend & no reservations are required. Brochures/Handouts: Pet Loss Brochures contain important reference materials for grieving individuals and are available for purchase: $10 for Veterinarians: Dr. Jason Crawford Dr. Kelly DeBaene Dr. Leonid Gurevich Dr. Catherine O Keefe Dr. Diana Palila Berger Dr. Robert Edward Pratt Jr. Dr. Jay Ryan Dr. Nicholas Szigetvari Dr. Erin Van Dokkenburg Honorary Member: Mr. Peter Weber MS, CAE With this very successful few months of membership recruitment, we are a strong association of 1011 members! Be sure to invite your colleagues to join us. The larger we are, the greater impact we make on our community! Finally, if you have achieved accreditation or advanced your expertise, we would love to spread the news! Contact CVMA to be highlighted in an upcoming Bulletin! Proposed Bylaws Changes - to be voted on May 9 there is not agreement on the vote, then the vote will defer to the representative who has tenure (the most years) as ISVMA representative. This is contingent that the aforementioned representatives must be active CVMA members. 50 or $15 for 100. Sympathy Cards: Packets of 10 custom cards, helpline brochures and grief articles are available to veterinarians in recognition of a client s loss for $60. To place an order, please call the CVMA: (630)

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6 P A G E 6 CVMA Classifieds PLACING ADS Payment must accompany ad. Bulletin ads are limited to 60 words. Those exceeding 60 words will be edited by the CVMA. To be given away and Job Wanted ads from both students and technicians are free, 40-word limit. All ads must be submitted in writing, on or before the 15th of the month prior to publication date. Bulletin Rates: Member fee is $50/issue; the non-member fee is $100/issue. Website Rates: Member fee is $25/month; and the non-member fee is $50/month. Relief Listings: Member fee is $100/year; the non-member fee is $200/year. Ad runs for 12 calendar months, both in Bulletin and online. VETERINARIANS WANTED Golf Rose Animal Hospital: Occasional emergency shift/no on call duty veterinarian, wanted for busy 24-hr clinic, 10 doctor practice. Well equipped: in-house lab, digital radiography, ultrasound, laser, and endoscopy. High case volume in medicine, surgery & emergency. New grads welcome to apply. Competitive salary, full benefits. Send resume: Golf Rose Animal Hospital, 1375 North Roselle Road., Schaumburg, IL 60195, Attn: Dr. Todd Landoch, Fax: (847) , animaldoc@aol.com Naperville Animal Hospital: Associate wanted for a multi-doctor practice in Naperville. Modern facility with modern equipment. Great clientele. Overnight patient monitoring. Large case volume, medical and surgical. Large amount of orthopedic work. Looking for someone to join our team approach to veterinary medicine. Board Certified practitioner on staff. 4-day work week. Salary starting $65,000-$75,000, +benefits. Contact Dr. Staudacher: napervilleanimalhospital@yahoo.com. Schaumburg Veterinary Hospital: Rapidly growing practice looking for a part-time associate. We have extended hours: 7 days/week until midnight and open holidays. Looking for an associate with schedule flexibility and a good attitude. Good salary and some benefits despite part-time. We have digital x-ray, cold laser therapy, laser surgery and a well-trained, friendly staff. Please contact: jbloomberg@schaumburgveterinaryhospital.com. West Loop Veterinary Care (Chicago): Great opportunity for a self-motivated, upbeat associate to join our growing practice. Seeking team player with excellent leadership & communication skills. 2+ years experience required. Our state-of-theart AAHA-accredited clinic includes computerized records, in-house lab, digital radiography, and dental suite w/dr. Phenomenal clientele & team make our clinic an enjoyable place to work. House calls offered. Competitive salary/benefits. Send resume: staff@westloopvet.com or fax: (312) PRACTICE FOR SALE Practice for Sale: Well-established one-doctor small animal practice in Chicago. Located next to suburbs. Excellent location, great clientele & good neighborhood with good net income. Real estate includes a completely renovated building of about 2000 SF in brand new condition. Call Dr. Manyam: (773) PRACTICE WANTED WANTED: Small animal practice to purchase within two years. Chicago suburbs. Please call: (847) or lmurray6292@yahoo.com. SERVICES AVAILABLE Animal Behavior Partners: Do you have a patient with training or behavior-related issues? Dr. John Ciribassi, certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB), Dr. Kelly Ballantine (training for ACVB Certification) and Laura Monaco Torelli, an award-winning trainer certified by Karen Pryor Academy and APDT, can address ALL your behavior needs. Call (312) 685-ABP1(2271) or go to: for further information or brochures. AVMA GHLIT: Fred Rothschild CLU, RHU and David Rothschild have advised more than 400 veterinarians. For AVMA Group Life and Health information, underwritten by New York Life Insurance Company in New York, NY, contact us at: (847) or rothschild-ins@mcleodusa.net for analysis. Need help Selling, Buying, or Appraising your Veterinary Practice? For a free consultation, call G.R. Sikora, DVM or J.P. Bryk, DVM toll free at: (877) or visit online at: Mobile Veterinary Ultrasound Inc. is on the road in the Chicago area. Cardiac & abdominal scans done in your office for your patients. For an appointment, call: (847) or us at: jhouse@mobileve terinaryu ltrasoun d.org.

7 CVMA Relief Veterinarians P A G E 7 Dr. Christine Appleyard (WSU 87) Medicine & Surgery Chicago and Suburbs (630) Dr. Nancy Arden (IL 92) Medicine West, NW & SW Suburbs (773) nancyarden@gmail.com Dr. Lyndon Conrad (OH 68) Dogs and Cats / Management West & SW Suburbs (630) lindyconrad@yahoo.com Dr. James Cornelius (MO 75) / Surgery / ER (630) jimboc1@aol.com Dr. Lyn Edmonson (IL 08) / Surgery West Suburbs, DuPage, Kane, Will lyn.edmonson@dvm.com Dr. Irena Gaber (YUG 98) / Surgery (708) irenavet@hotmail.com Dr. Karen Gadberry (IL 02) Medicine NW Suburbs (224) Dr. Marie Goulden (IL 67) South Cook, SW Suburbs, Joliet & Will (708) gouldenacres@core.com Dr. Vivian Grant (Tenn 93) / Exotics West, NW & SW Suburbs (630) drgrant@drviviangrant.com Dr. Marsha Guzik (IL 91) Medicine / Surgery Chicago & NW Suburbs (847) mguzik3449@aol.com Dr. Christine Kilpatrick (TSU 02) / Housecalls Plainfield (+15 mile radius) (630) mytravelingvet@gmail.com Dr. Larry W. Klaaren (IA 78) Medicine Counties: Will, Cook, DuPage, Kendall, Grundy, Kankakee; Chicago; NW Ind (815) dr.klaaren@gmail.com Dr. Janet Knipper (IL 82) Dog & Cat Medicine / Surgery Southern/Western (708) janetknipper@yahoo.com Dr. Angela Kovalick (IL 83) South, West & SW Suburbs (630) akov200@aol.com Dr. Melanie Laasch (IL 88) (815) mellaasch@aol.com Dr. Stacy Lempka (KSU 94) Chicago, North & NW Suburbs (773) stacy.lempka@gmail.com Dr. Margaret Minett (IL 96) Medicine South, SW & West Suburbs (815) mrmpetdoc@aol.com Dr. Adam Morsi (Cal 64) Chicago South, SW & West Suburbs (708) morsi2000@gmail.com Dr. Lisa Murray DABVP (IA 86) Medicine / ER Chicagoland (847) lmurray6292@yahoo.com Dr. Raminder Natt (IN 89) (708) Dr. Rosemarie Niznik (GA 90) Medicine / Surgery / ER / Acupuncture DuPage, Cook & Surrounding (630) drroseniznik@gmail.com Dr. Linda Olson (IL 88) / Acupuncture Kane & Surrounding(224) ljolson88@sbcglobal.net Dr. Mary Papacek (MN 83) Medicine / Surgery / Dentistry N/NW Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry/Lake (847) veterinaryreliefservices@gmail.com Dr. Mohammed Rahman (IND 58) Medicine / Surgery Chicago & SW Suburbs (630) Dr. Emily Rosenzweig (LSU 01) Medicine/Soft Tissue Surgery/ Dentistry/Ultrasound Chicago/Suburbs; Statewide for consecutive dates (813) emmydugas@gmail.com Website: reliefveterinarian.net Dr. Tamara Schmitt (AU 96) Medicine / Surgery / Dentistry (773) tammyschmitt@comcast.net Dr. Ariel Valyo (IL 84) Canine/Feline Medicine & Surgery Chicago, Near North, W, SW Suburbs Short Notice is OK (773) or (708) valyo8@aol.com Dr. Ivan Veljic (YUG 81) Short Notice is OK (773) icavet@aol.com Dr. Jessica Von Waldau (IL 97) Exotics / Laser / Ultrasound Dentistry / Surgery / Medicine (773) vonwaldau@yahoo.com Dr. Megan Welbourne (IL 01) Medicine South & West Suburbs (630) mcwelbourne@gmail.com Dr. Tiffany Whisler (KSU 90) (847) whisdocs@comcast.net Dr. Steve Zimmerman (IL 88) (847) For Relief Veterinarian listing information, contact the CVMA office at: (630) The CVMA does not endorse any veterinarian listed in the Relief Veterinarian section. The Association does not attest to the veterinarians abilities to practice veterinary medicine or to the conduct of the individual.

8 P A G E 8 Disseminating Authoritative Information Puts College on World Map Dr. Herb Whiteley, Dean University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Fall Conference 2012: Highlights No matter where you live or what aspects of veterinary medicine interest you, the University of Illinois is likely to have a continuing education opportunity that meets your needs. Through the college s Office of Public Engagement, the expertise of our faculty is made available in a multitude of ways, from one-hour lectures to certificate programs spanning two years and from inperson to online experiences. Building on our strong record of successful continuing education programs, we are introducing the Illinois Veterinary Academy of Lifelong Learning, says Dr. Allan Paul, associate dean for public engagement. We envision Illinois as the premier source of authoritative information for veterinarians, animal producers, and the animal-owning public, whether they are in Illinois or on the other side of the world. You may associate our public engagement office with the annual Fall Conference or the many outstanding stand-alone offerings, ranging from an intensive dentistry weekend with Dr. Sandy Manfra Marretta to periodic Vet U lectures and social hours across the state. In addition to these, two signature programs of the office have gained an international reputation for excellence. More than 200 animal health professionals have honed their business and communication skills through the Executive Veterinary Program, offered initially for swine veterinarians and later for small animal practitioners. The EVP model learning from instructors in Urbana for two days every other month and completing assignments and sharing online between sessions is currently proving effective in two new areas: delivering hands-on advanced training in small animal ultrasound and bringing business management skills to leading pork producers. Many possibilities are under consideration for other subjects and audiences that would be well served through the EVP model. Another program, Veterinary Education Online (VEO), caters to busy veterinary professionals who want anytime, anywhere access to interactive, university-level continuing education. To date, individuals from all 50 states and from 43 Mark your calendars for September 13 & 14 for one of the most affordable and practice-relevant veterinary conferences in the Midwest! Dentistry wet lab, a full day with Drs. Sandy Manfra Marretta and Steve Juriga Dermatology wet lab, a half day with Dr. Domenico Santoro on superficial fungal infection in dogs and cats Oncology meets cytology, with Drs. Anne Barger and Laura Garrett Small animal cardiology, two days of lecture featuring imaging and more Golf outing, Illini football, reunions, alumni awards, and other opportunities to reconnect with your peers countries have learned from the college s board certified specialists through VEO. New VEO modules will debut later this year. Illinois represents authoritative, unbiased information that veterinary professionals trust, notes Mandy Barth, associate director for public engagement, who organizes dozens of programs reaching thousands of people each year. Our office makes access to this valued information efficient, affordable, and effective. The newest venue for conveying relevant professional information is the most customizable ever: the Visiting Practitioners Program. This program can be as short as one day or can span months and can involve one or more specialty areas of interest to the participant. Practitioners learn by observing the daily activities of specialists in our teaching hospital or diagnostic laboratory. We ve already had a few veterinarians, including one from France, take advantage of this program, and we re eager to open it up to practitioners closer to home, says Barth. To find out more about the Visiting Practitioners Program and other Illinois programs, call (217) or visit: vetmed.illinois.edu/ope/.

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11 APRIL 2012 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Easter CE: Infectious Dz at HU224 8am-3:30pm 5 6 Good Friday Passover ends Passover begins Board Meeting Conference Call 8:00pm Earth Day Arbor Day Wings Meetings are at 7:30pm on the first Wednesday of each month in the CVMA office. Wings Meetings will be held on April 4 and May 2. 2 MAY 2012 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Happy Mother s Day CE: Neurology at HU224 8am-3:30pm Board Meeting CVMA Office 8:00pm General Meeting during Lunch Memorial Day Holiday -CVMA Closed

12 Chicago Veterinary Medical Association 100 Tower Drive, Suite 234 Burr Ridge, IL Bulletin April / May 2012 Look Inside for: April & May CE President s Thoughts Proposed Bylaws Change Calendar of Events Our Mission: Chicago Veterinary Medical Association s purpose is to provide its members opportunities for: Professional enrichment and communication Quality continuing education Dissemination of information to the public Promoting the health and well-being of animals Shaping the Future of Veterinary Medicine Promoting the Human-Animal Bond ~ Since 1896 ~ Chicago Veterinary Medical Association 100 Tower Drive, Suite 234 Burr Ridge, IL Phone: (630) Fax: (630) cvma@chicagovma.org Our Vision: The membership of the CVMA is dedicated to the health and well-being of animals through its nurturing of the human animal bond. The CVMA will strive to fulfill the diversified needs of its members by providing nationally recognized CE programs, cultivating membership involvement, and offering innovative member services and public awareness. Find us online: