AVMA seeks volunteers to serve profession

The AVMA is seeking volunteers to become leaders of the Association or take on council, committee, or liaison positions, serving the profession while developing relationships with colleagues and learning more about the wide world of veterinary medicine.

"There is huge value in volunteering for the AVMA," said Dr. John de Jong, AVMA president.

A few years ago, as he drove home from a New England VMA meeting, he called his wife to inform her that he was on his way. She asked, "What do you get out of all of this organized veterinary medicine?" It came to him in a flash, and so he told her.

"I greatly enjoy the camaraderie and personal relationships I have developed with my professional colleagues, several of whom are among my very best friends," he recalled saying to his wife.

Dr. de Jong said the other part is that being involved is like continuing education "on steroids." He said: "As a small animal veterinarian, were it not for being involved in organized veterinary medicine, I would have never learned about food animal production, epidemiology, research, education, and so much more to the extent that I have. It has allowed me to grow as a veterinarian and as a person, quenching my thirst for knowledge on a continuing basis, allowing me to be more educated and interesting—while having a great time, too."

The AVMA currently seeks candidates for president-elect and vice president and for two seats on the Board of Directors as well as nominations or applications for numerous council, committee, and liaison positions. Details and forms are available online or by emailing OfficeEVPavma [dot] org (OfficeEVP[at]avma[dot]org).

President-elect, vice president, Board of Directors

The AVMA is calling for candidates to run for president-elect for the August 2020-August 2021 Association year and for vice president for August 2020-August 2022. While the Association will accept applications through summer 2020, candidates who submit materials by April 1, 2019, can formally announce their candidacy and present to the AVMA House of Delegates in conjunction with AVMA Convention 2019.

Candidates will then have a full year to campaign. Election by the House of Delegates will take place at its regular annual session just prior to the 2020 convention. The president-elect will serve as president from August 2021-August 2022.

The AVMA also will continue to accept nominations for 2019-2020 president-elect until July 29, 2019. Election by the House will take place immediately prior to the 2019 convention.

The Association is distributing a letter to AVMA voting members in districts III and V to invite nominations for a representative from each district to serve on the Board of Directors for a six-year term starting in August 2019. District III comprises Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. District V comprises Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

The AVMA will accept nominations from a state VMA in each district or by petition of 50 AVMA voting members in each district. Feb. 1, 2019, is the deadline for receipt of nominations. If a district has more than one nominee, the Association will distribute a ballot to each voting member in the district.

Councils, committees, liaisons

In May 2019, the Council on Education Selection Committee will select one new member for the AVMA Council on Education. The committee will post a call for applications in late December for a COE member to represent private equine practice. The deadline is Feb. 15, 2019. Three other new members will be appointed by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges to represent large animal clinical science, veterinary medical research, and the AAVMC.

The AVMA House of Delegates will elect members of councils other than the COE in August 2019 during its regular annual session preceding AVMA Convention 2019.

The AVMA will accept nominations for positions on these councils from organizations in the House or by petition of 10 AVMA voting members. The deadline is April 1, 2019.

The AVMA Board of Directors will fill a number of committee, and liaison positions in April 2019. The vacancies include positions on committees addressing subjects ranging from animal welfare to antimicrobials to veterinary economics.

For many of these vacancies, AVMA members can apply on their own behalf or make a nomination on another member's behalf. For other vacancies, nominations must be made by a specific organization to be represented by the nominee or as otherwise stated in the vacancy description. The deadline is March 13, 2019.