AVMA Letter

By Debra Nickelson AVMA endorses federal legislation to address illicit xylazine A newly proposed law backed by the AVMA would help combat the emerging threat posed by illicit xylazine while protecting veterinary access to this important animal sedative. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act was introduced into congress in March. The bill’s provisions would equip law enforcement…

By Debra Nickelson February 2023 Resolutions There were nine resolutions brought forward to the House of Delegates for review during the winter session in January. Such resolutions are brought to the House if a new policy is created, an existing policy needs rewording or if the board of directors determines the policy to be pertinent.  An…

By Debra Nickelson AVMA House of Delegates Report If you have not participated in a Veterinary Leadership Conference, I encourage you to attend. Sure, Chicago can be freezing cold in January, but it can be surprisingly pleasant, and you are indoors most of the time. There also will be fun team-building projects for a good cause.…

By Debra Nickelson New Initiatives Journey For Teams The AVMA is co-launching a multi-year educational initiative to help veterinary workplaces become more diverse, equitable and inclusive. The AVMA and VMAE plan to deliver monthly learning modules for about 30 months on topics related to DEI on the project’s website. These modules will be about 15 minutes…

By Debra Nickelson I am pleased to announce that Dr. Sandy Willis is our official liaison with the AVMA. Dr. Willis asked to be assigned the American Association of Industry Veterinarians. Dr. Ellen Lowery and I are thrilled to have Dr. Willis on our team. Dr. Willis served as an intern at the University of Minnesota…

By Debra Nickelson Meet your AVMA Leaders 2022-2023 AVMA President: Dr. Lori Teller (Left most)2022-2024 AVMA Vice President: Dr. Jennifer Quammen (Middle left)2022-2023 AVMA President-Elect: Dr. Rena Carlson (Middle)AVMA Board of Directors Chair: Dr. Ronald E. Gill (Middle right)AVMA Board of Directors Vice Chair: Dr. Charles Lemme (Right most) Candidates for 2023-2024 AVMA President-Elect Dr. Sandra…

By Debra Nickelson AVMA Legislative Report April 2022 Since AVMA is involved in several legislative activities, here is a separate report. AVMA secures funding for programs essential to the veterinary profession  Recently, Congress passed a government spending bill that includes many wins for veterinary medicine. During this process, the AVMA has been engaged with lawmakers…

By Debra Nickelson AVMA House of Delegates Report April 2022 It seems there are two seasons for the AVMA House of Delegates: meetings and getting ready for meetings. In preparation for the summer meeting during the AVMA Convention, we are looking for Veterinary Information Forum (VIF) topics to discuss and possibly be formed into resolutions for policy. So…