3rd Annual WesternU VBMA Symposium

SAVMA's very own Governmental Affairs Committee helped sponsors the Economic Initiatives and Education Integrated Outreach (EIEIO) Grant. Read on to see how SAVMA is helping to empower students in this economic climate. For more information on how to apply for the EIEIO grant and others, click here. 

 Written by Adrienne Snider, WesternU VBMA Treasurer

January 27^th, 2013 saw the latest installment of WesternU’s Veterinary Business Management (VBMA) Symposium.  Originally the brainchild of Brandi Bayliff (’13) and the 2010 board, Symposium is in its third year and continues to grow.

WesternU’s VBMA is a chapter of the National VBMA, which is entirely student-run and is the second largest veterinary student organization (behind SAVMA).  One of the goals of our chapter is to increase business knowledge in students, as this type of education is not included in our normal veterinary curriculum. From left to right are Dr. Paul Gordon-Ross (faculty advisor), Adrienne Snider (treasurer), Alexis Galvez (marketing director), Kendra Bettis-Scheibe (speaker liaison), Jon Silverman (vice president), and Audrey Collinet (president). Missing are Kelsey Gapstur (secretary) and Anthony Carrier (IT director). All students are class of 2015. The club sponsors 10-12 events per school year, with topics covering finance management, practice ownership, interview skills, and more. 

The annual symposium is the premiere event for the club.  This year, 75 students, faculty and local practitioners gathered for the day to listen to three speakers.

 The club was very excited to bring in nationally known veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward.  Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Ward is an owner of two small animal practices, a contributor to the “Rachael Ray Show,” and an author.  Ward gave two talks, “What You Need to Know to Succeed During the Next 20 Years” and “Performing the Perfect Physical Exam:  Communicating Compassion and Expertise.”  

The take-home message for students was how we, as the incoming face of the profession, can grow its reputation and improve public opinion of what we do.  For students entering the work force with massive debt, it’s critical that we innovate, not only to survive in the profession, but to excel as well.

 Mr. Cornel Catrina of GL Advisor provided students with invaluable information on personal finances.  “Managing Student Loan Debt, Personal Finances, and Personal Investing” provided explanation of topics that many students find confusing and intimidating.  Catrina explained the differences between types of loans, loan repayment programs, and gave ideas for managing money.

Mr. Stith Keiser, of AAHA and My Veterinary Career, closed out Symposium with “The Economy’s Effects on Practices and Why It Matters.”  Keiser challenged the use of the economy as an excuse for whether a clinic is a success or not.  He cited recent studies that showed pet owners are still spending money, just not at the vet.

Overall, the day was a success and despite some challenging material, students walked away with a better idea of what they can do to have a successful career after graduation and how to promote our profession. 

WesternU does an excellent job of providing students with education in basic sciences, clinical skills, and communication.  Business education, however, is also an integral part of making a well-rounded, practice-ready graduate.  Our VBMA chapter works hard each year to provide interesting, informational talks to students and we hope that the tradition and success of Symposium will continue to grow over the years.

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[Vet Gazette Editor]

For more information on Cornel Catrina’s talk at WesternU, you can visit their website at http://www.gladvisor.com/, where you can find more information on student loan debt.