| 3/2/2020 | |
| AABP Recent Veterinary Graduate Conference Builds Confidence | |
| (ASHLAND, OHIO) March 2, 2020 – AABP members who are recent veterinary graduates got a big shot of confidence at the 3rd Annual 2020 AABP Recent Veterinary Graduate Conference held Feb. 21-22 in Columbus, Ohio. The conference was limited to AABP members who have graduated veterinary school from 2012-2019. A total attendance including attendees and speakers of nearly 200 provided for an atmosphere of networking and comradery. General sessions were offered along with clinical and consulting skills, beef and dairy-specific topics and practice tips. Additionally, three hands-on seminars focused on beef cattle nutrition, clinical pharmacology and milking systems analysis were available prior to the start of the conference. The program committee, consisting of Dr. Elizabeth Homerosky (chair), Dr. Kevin Jacque (dairy), Dr. Amanda Emery (cow-calf) and Dr. Deb Johnson (feedlot), matched the demographic of attendees. “We quickly settled on the theme of ‘Building Confidence’ and were excited to invite many of our mentors from both private practice and academia who played a pivotal role in instilling confidence in us,” Homerosky explains. “Dr. Mark Hilton kicked off the conference with an enthusiastic and inspiring keynote address on confidence.” Homerosky says some of Hilton’s take-home messages on developing confidence in yourself and gaining the confidence of those around you included “ask clients their goals”, “make deposits into others’ emotional bank accounts”, “take risks”, and “be humble and transparent,” to name a few. Homerosky notes that attendees felt comfortable surrounded by peers in similar stages of practice. One of the most appreciated segments of this year’s conference was Friday’s night entertainment, “Show us Your Creative Side”. “A diverse lineup of seasoned experts and budding new graduates shared hilarious stories, original poems and good ol’ practice tips that showcased some amazing talent,” Homerosky says. “Afterward, everyone felt encouraged to share their own experiences with their peers. There is nothing that builds confidence like bonding over that one calving or prolapse call early in your career that didn’t quite go as planned. We’ve all been there! Everyone’s enthusiasm and stories made for a fantastic evening.” The conference also featured the use of the Slido app, an interactive communication platform where attendees asked questions, answered polls and provided feedback using their smartphones. This technology allowed attendees who might not feel comfortable asking questions in front of the group to actively participate. It also allowed the program committee to prioritize questions based on popularity and ensure the question and answer period was efficiently managed. The Recent Grad conference was launched in 2018 as a result of the different needs of AABP members who are recent veterinary graduates, many of whom are unable to attend the AABP Annual Conference in September. “The recent graduate conference has been a huge success since it was introduced to try and bridge the gap between veterinary students and experienced practitioners,” explains AABP President Dr. Calvin Booker. “Our conference registration data and feedback we received indicate that many recent graduates often found it difficult to attend the annual conference because it was attended by more senior members of their practices and someone had to stay home and do the work.” Booker says this format has been very well received by attendees, with many members attending all three conferences and/or convincing classmates or coworkers to attend. “We continue to seek ways to improve the conference. It is a great opportunity for younger bovine practitioners to interact with their peers, stay connected to AABP and experience all of the great member benefits that AABP has to offer,” Booker says. “I am proud to be a part of and work for an association that places value in offering continuing education targeted to our recent graduate colleagues,” states AABP Executive Director Dr. K. Fred Gingrich, II. “AABP recognizes the need to engage these new members in our organization and provide them with the tools to set them up for success early in their careers.” The conference offered 15.5 RACE-approved continuing education (CE) credits. RACE approval is one benefit in addition to having online CE free of charge for members. In-person attendance is limited to recent graduates, however, all AABP members can access the RACE-approved recorded presentations as a free member benefit through the Beef Cattle Institute website accessible at https://aabp.org. #2020RecentGrad, #BuildingCOWfidence |
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