During 2009, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) in looking to the future of veterinary medical education and ensuring that the profession is positioned to meet societal needs, organized and launched the North American Veterinary Educational Consortium (NAVMEC). The Consortium, over a 12 to 18 month period, will hold a series of national discussions on several important questions in planning the future of veterinary medical education, including 1) what is meant by meeting societal needs, and what knowledge, skills, and competencies should all new graduates of veterinary medical colleges possess at graduation to ensure societal needs are met; 2) what are different educational models that will prepare all new graduates to meet societal needs; and 3) what are the essential principles and relationships between colleges, accreditation, and licensure that will ensure that new graduates meet societal needs.
A special introductory document giving further background on NAVMEC—Ensuring Veterinary Medicine is Positioned to Meet the Needs of Society: The North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium—can be viewed by clicking on the title.
For a printer-friendly PDF version of this information, click here.
For a statement on "Understanding the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium," click here.
NAVMEC members
During July 2008-June 2009, letters of invitation to join the Consortium were sent to 368 groups and organizations, comprising AAVMC’s 61 institutions members, 4 affiliate members, four national veterinary medical associations, 53 US state veterinary medical associations, 11 Canadian provincial veterinary medical associations, 74 veterinary specialty groups, 24 US State and Federal Government Agencies, Associations, and Officials, 57 groups from private industry, 15 veterinary technician groups, 6 international veterinary medical associations, 2 licensure associations, 2 animal welfare organizations, 2 international governing organizations, and 20 miscellaneous groups.
All invited groups and individuals were invited to the Consortium and to participate in the discussions at the national meetings, irrespective of any financial contribution they wished to make. Financial contributions were not a requirement to join the Consortium.
Invited groups and individuals were asked to consider making a financial contribution of any amount. Those groups and individuals making a financial contribution were designated “co-sponsors”. All co-sponsors were invited to name a representative who would attend a meeting to help plan the national meetings, make recommendations concerning the organization of Consortium meetings, and periodically review progress of the Consortium and make recommendations to the Consortium Board of Directors to assure progress is being made to meet the goal of the Consortium to provide a “national report” to the AAVMC Board of Directors.
As of August 13, 2009, of the 368 invitees, a total of 158 groups and individuals have joined the Consortium, including 97 Co-sponsors, and 61 other groups and individuals wishing to participate in discussions but not making any financial contribution.
a. The 97 Co-sponsors include 39 AAVMC member institutions, AVMA, one
licensure group, 8 state veterinary medical associations, 16 veterinary
specialty associations, 9 private industry groups, 2 laboratory animal science
groups, 2 animal welfare groups, 2 Canadian veterinary medical associations,
one veterinary publishing group, one veterinary technician group, three
miscellaneous groups, and 13 individuals (these include past AAVMC
presidents, past AVMA Presidents, past Deans of US Colleges of veterinary
medicine, past Executive Directors and staff of AAVMC and AAVMC member
institutions).
b. Among the 61 groups participating in discussions but not having made a
financial contribution are 6 AAVMC member institutions; one licensure
association, 2 state veterinary medical associations, 17 veterinary specialty
organizations, 5 federal and state government agencies and associations, 2
private industry groups, one veterinary technician group, one veterinary
publishing group, 3 miscellaneous groups, 3 international veterinary medical
associations, one international governing organization, and 19 individuals
(see types of individuals in (a) above).
The complete list of invitees, including those who have joined NAVMEC can be viewed here.
NAVMEC Governance
AAVMC is providing the leadership for this initiative. Governance of the Consortium involves AAVMC leadership and a soon to be named NAVMEC Board of Directors. The AAVMC Executive Committee (current AAVMC President, President-Elect, and Immediate Past-President), on behalf of the AAVMC Board of Directors, will appoint members to the NAVMEC Board of Directors and will make final decisions concerning NAVMEC policies, procedures, and products. NAVMEC Board members will represent education (AAVMC institutions), accreditation (AVMA), and licensure/testing (licensure and testing groups) in veterinary education.
An outline of the NAVMEC governance structure can be viewed here.
NAVMEC Project Manager
Dr. Mary Beth Leininger in August 2009 joined NAVMEC as its Project Manager. Following the imminent formation of the NAVMEC Board of Directors, Dr. Leininger will work closely with the NAVMEC Board of Directors in the planning and scheduling of NAVMEC meetings, and setting milestones for the final “national report”.
Dr. Leininger’s biographical background can be viewed here.
Contact Us
AAVMC’s NAVMEC website (http://www.aavmc.org/NAVMEC.htm) is the primary information source for NAVMEC information, updates, and events. For further information, please contact Dr. Marguerite Pappaioanou, Executive Director, AAVMC (mpappa@aavmc.org; 202-371-9195, Ext 15), or Dr. Michael Chaddock, Deputy Director, AAVMC (Mchaddock@aavmc.org; 202-371-9195, Ext 14) at AAVMC. Or write to them at:
AAVMC
1101 Vermont Avenue NW
Suite 301
Washington, DC 20005